Andorra

General************************************This small country is situated between France and Spain. Because of its elevation and proximity to the Pyrenees the climate is generally pleasant throughout the year. Climate**************
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*********************During the summer months the temperatures can rise to 30c but there is usually a cooling breeze. Lightening storms can occur during the summer months associated with torrential rain. Sun Exposure and Dehydration***************************************Those from Northern Europe can develop significant sun exposure and so remember to use a wide brimmed hat when necessary. The altitude can also lead to significant tiredness and dehydration so take sufficient initial rest and drink plenty of fluids. Safety & Security************************************The level of crime throughout the country directed at tourists is very low. Nevertheless take care of your personal belongings at all times and use hotel safety boxes where possible. Local Customs************************************There are strict laws regarding the use of illegal drugs. Make sure you have sufficient supplies of any medication you required for your trip and that it is clearly marked. The European E111 form is not accepted in Andorra and so it is essential that you have sufficient travel insurance for your trip. Winter Sports************************************Andorra is one of the regions where many travel to partake of their winter sport facilities. Generally this is well controlled and one of the safer regions. Nevertheless, make certain your travel insurance is adequate for the activities you are planning to undertake. Vaccination************************************The only standard vaccine to consider for Andorra would be tetanus in line with many other developed countries of the world.

Government in Andorra vows to kick habit of cigarette advertising
Pollution Andorra
- 2 years ago

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:24:06 +0200

Andorra la Vella, Andorra, July 12, 2018 (AFP) - The tax haven of Andorra has long been a favourite destination for smokers looking to stock up on cheap cigarettes, but the enclave said Thursday that it would soon stop advertising the fact. The government said it had signed up to the World Health Organization's (WHO) anti-tobacco convention, which aims to encourage people to quit smoking and combat contraband sales. "The goal is to contribute to public health and pursue the fight against trafficking," government spokesman Jordi Cinca said at a press conference.

The tiny principality of Andorra, perched in the Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain, attracts millions of shoppers each year to duty-free stores, where prices of alcohol, cigarettes, electronics and clothes can be up to 20 percent cheaper than elsewhere in the EU. High taxes on tobacco imposed by many countries to help people kick smoking make Andorra's cigarettes a particularly good deal. The average pack costs just three euros ($3.50) compared with eight euros in France, which has said it will gradually raise the price to 10 euros a pack by November 2020.

Tobacco sales bring in some 110 million euros a year for Andorra, whose economy is otherwise based almost entirely on tourism. It is also an enticing destination for smugglers, with French and Spanish border agents regularly seizing cartons from people trying to sneak them out, either by car or by hiking down the mountain trails which criss-cross the Pyrenees. No date has been set for the advertising ban, which will come into effect three months after the ratification of the WHO accord is voted by parliament.

Population in Andorra witness first strike since 1933
Strikes Andorra
- 2 years ago

Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2018 02:41:51 +0100

Andorra la Vella, Andorra, March 16, 2018 (AFP) - The tiny principality of Andorra is witnessing a once in a generation phenomenon -- a widespread strike. Around a third of civil servants across the mountainous micro-state have walked out to protest proposed reforms to their sector in what has been described as Andorra's first large-scale strike since 1933.

With no negotiation breakthrough in sight, picket lines are expected to be manned again on Friday with customs officers, police, teachers and prison staff among those taking part. The first major strike in 85 years was sparked by plans from the government of Antoni Marti to reform civil servant contracts. He has assured officials "will not do an hour more" work under the reforms and that 49 million euros would be allocated for the next 25 years to supplement civil servant salaries. But government workers are unconvinced with unions warning the reforms could risk their 35 hour working week and pay.

Customs officers involved in the strike interrupted traffic on the Andorran-Spanish border this week, according to unions, while some 80 percent of teachers have walked out of classes. Strikers have occupied the government's main administrative building and held noisy protests outside parliament calling for Marti's resignation. "We have started collecting signatures to demand the resignation of the head of government and now nobody will stop us," Gabriel Ubach, spokesman for the public service union, told reporters.

Report on 2016 outbreak of Norovirus in Catalonia (Spain) linked to water from Andorra
Disease Norovirus Andorra
- 3 years ago

A recent Dispatch article published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, offers insight into a large norovirus outbreak that sprung up in Spain in 2016 that had been linked with bottled spring water. The Public Health Agency of Catalonia (ASPCAT) reported a staggering 4136 cases of gastroenteritis from 11-25 Apr 2016. Of the 4136 cases, 6 individuals required hospitalization. The CDC defines a "case-patient" as an "exposed person who had vomiting or diarrhoea (3 or more loose stools within 24 hours)," as well as 2 or more of the following symptoms: nausea, stomach pain, or fever.

ASPCAT investigators traced back the outbreak to contaminated bottled spring water in office water coolers. The water came from a source in Andorra, a small independent principality located between Spain and France. Norovirus is a "very contagious virus," according to the CDC, and it is common for individuals to become infected by eating contaminated food. Although it is possible to be infected by consuming contaminated drinking water, this mode of transmission is "rare in developed countries," according to the article.

The investigators collected water samples from a total of 4 19-L water coolers in 2 different offices located in Barcelona, "from which affected persons had drunk; samples 1 and 2 came from 2 water coolers in one office, while samples 3 and 4 came from 2 water coolers in another office. Using "positively charged glass wool and polyethylene glycol precipitation for virus concentration," the investigators tested the samples.

"We detected high RNA levels for norovirus genotype I and II, around 103 and 104 genome copies/L, in 2 of the 4 water cooler samples concentrated by glass wool filtration and polyethylene glycol precipitation," according to the article. The investigators noted that a drawback of using molecular methods is that they are not able to differentiate between particles that are infectious and those that are not. Therefore, they "predicted the infectivity of norovirus in the concentrated samples by treating the samples with the nucleic acid intercalating dye PMA propidium monoazide and Triton X surfactant before RT-qPCR," which allowed them to "distinguish between virions with intact and altered capsids."

In those 2 water samples, they found high genome copy values -- 49 and 327 genome copies/L for norovirus genotype I and 33 and 660 genomes copies/L for norovirus genotype II. This was not an unexpected finding, due to the large number of infected individuals associated with the outbreak. Through "PMA/Triton treatment before RT-qPCR assays," the investigators found that the proportion of infected virions accounted for 0.3% to 5.6% of the total number of physical particles in the water samples, "which was enough to cause gastrointestinal illness."

The investigators also analyzed faecal samples collected from infected individuals who worked at the office in which the 1st 2 water samples were collected. They detected the following genotypes in those faecal samples: GI.2 and GII.17. In the faecal samples collected from the other office, they isolated the following genotypes: GII.4/Sydney/2012, GI.2, GII.17, and GII.2.

"We hypothesize that the spring water was contaminated by all 4 strains (GI.2, GII.2, GII.4, and GII.17) but levels of viral contamination for each genotype were not homogeneous in all bottled coolers," the investigators wrote. "We may have detected only the GII.4 genotype in water samples 1 and 2 because of a higher concentration of this specific genotype or because of bias caused by the sampling, concentration, and molecular detection procedures."

The investigators admit one limitation to their study: the small number of water samples collected and analyzed. They attribute this to the fact that on 15 Apr 2016, 4 days after the onset of the outbreak, the company that produced the drinking water recalled over 6150 containers of water "of suspected quality" as a precautionary measure. The recall prevented the investigators from collecting more samples to assess, according to the article.

Although the exact cause of the contamination has not yet been identified, the investigators posit that "the high number of affected persons from 381 offices that received water coolers, and the many different genotypes found in some patients' faecal specimens" suggest that the spring aquifer had been contaminated by "sewage pollution," and the Andorra Ministry of Health and Welfare banned further use of the spring.

The investigators suggest that assessing commercially-produced mineral waters for different harmful pathogens, such as norovirus would be beneficial. They note, however, that creating, enhancing, and managing such "virus surveillance systems" would be costly. Thus, the investigators suggest taking a "balanced approach to keep both the cost and the time required for the analyses within feasibility limits." [Byline: Kristi Rosa]

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[The interesting article published in the September 2017 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases is:

ANDORRA LA VELLA, Andorra, Dec 26, 2013 (AFP) - A Spanish skier and a French snowboarder have died in avalanches in different mountain ranges in Europe, officials said Thursday.

The 27-year-old skier, a woman from Barcelona, died Wednesday while going off-piste alone in the Soldeu resort in Andorra, in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, a resort manager told AFP. Although she was rescued within 10 minutes, after her glove was spotted on the surface, she was unable to be revived despite a helicopter dash to hospital.

In the Italian Alps, close to the border with France, a 24-year-old Frenchman who was snowboarding with three friends on a closed run died Thursday when an avalanche swept over him in the resort town of Les Arnauds. Local officials said he succumbed to multiple injuries, asphyxia and hypothermia.

Avalanches are common in Europe's ski resorts at this time of year, when early snows are heavy with moisture, and several deaths occur each winter. Last Sunday, a 35-year-old Frenchman died in an avalanche in the Alps near the Italian border while on a three-day trek with a friend.

Date: Fri 7 Feb 2003 From: Jaime R. Torres Source: EFE Salud, Thu 6 Feb 2003 (translated by Maria Jacobs) [edited] -------------------------------------------------- Close to 300 students in one school and 173 tourists staying in 7 hotels in the Principality of Andorra have been affected by outbreaks of gastroenteritis that, according to local authorities, are not related to each other. Monica Codina, Minister of Health, stated that the outbreak that has affected almost 300 children and 8 adults in the San Ermengol school was detected last Monday [3 Feb 2003] but that it may have started Wednesday or Thursday of the previous week. The epidemiological surveys of a group of pre-school and grammar school students that may also be affected have not been performed yet. Also pending are the results of the microbiological tests of the food and water served in the school dining room, but the minister has indicated that the probable cause of the outbreak is the fact that water pitchers were filled with hoses directly from the faucet. The Minister stated that this outbreak of gastroenteritis is not related to the one that affected 173 tourists, most of them young people on holiday, who where staying in 7 hotels of the Principality. The government is also investigating the cause of this outbreak and has indicated that an anomaly in the system that supplies water to the hotels was detected, requiring a process of chlorination, which has not been carried out due to the heavy snowfall of the past few days. * * * * * * * * * * [The suspicion that defective water supplies may be responsible for all of these independent outbreaks suggests that the etiologic agent may be an enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, or non-viral, rather than one of the noroviruses associated with sudden-onset viral gastroenteritis. Information on the outcome of diagnostic tests in progress would be welcomed. - ProMed Mod.CP]

San Juan, March 15, 2020 (AFP) - The US territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday ordered a 9:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the strongest measure yet taken on American soil. It took effect immediately and lasts until March 30. "Faced with the possibility of transmission and propagation of the virus, I have ordered the imposition of a curfew for all residents of Puerto Rico," Governor Wanda Vazquez announced in a video message. "We must take every precaution to ensure that we do not become potential carriers," Vazquez said.

The Caribbean territory of 2.9 million, whose residents are US citizens, also will close many businesses from Sunday until the end of the month, she said. That includes malls, movie theaters, concert venues, gyms, bars and other businesses that bring together large crowds on the island popular with tourists. The exceptions will be businesses in the food supply chain, and in the medical care system, as well as drugstores, gas stations, banks and senior citizens' group homes.

At night, only those who are providing or receiving medical care, or carrying out essential duties, will be allowed to be on Puerto Rico's streets. Anyone defying the curfew faces a six-month jail term and a fine of up to $5,000. The island declared a state of emergency when its first cases were reported March 12. The island has reported five cases. On Friday, Vazquez accepted the resignation of Health Secretary Rafael Rodriguez Mercado, who was under fire for his handling the coronavirus emergency.

Recently, island residents were irate when two warehouses were found to be filled with abandoned supplies, apparently never used after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The storms' one-two punch left Puerto Ricans without power for months and killed nearly 3,000 people, according to the local government's official numbers. President Donald Trump has accused the Puerto Rican government of incompetence and siphoning off hurricane relief money. The Puerto Rican leaders accused Trump of treating the population of the island like second class citizens.

Yauco, Puerto Rico, Jan 16, 2020 (AFP) - Living out in the open, their nerves on edge after a series of earthquakes that have shaken Puerto Rico, some 5,000 people are hoping that their president, Donald Trump, will heed the island's plea to be designated a disaster zone and free up much-needed aid. Since December 28, more than 1,000 tremors have rattled the US island territory in the Caribbean, which just two years ago was devastated by two powerful hurricanes in quick succession.

In Yauco, one of the areas worst hit by the earthquakes, dozens of people were sitting on cot beds Wednesday in the parking lot of a municipal stadium, sheltered from the sun by white tents and blue tarps handed out by the federal disaster management agency, known as FEMA. "The most difficult thing is the psychological aspect," said Wilfredo Rodriguez, 31. His house had been fractured by the seismic movement and he has spent a week living with his kids, aged six and 10, under an awning. "We are living in constant fear of another powerful tremor," he said.

He only returns to his house to wash, then hurries back to the shelter. "We worry that there'll be a more powerful tremor while we are inside the house," he said. Throughout the day, volunteers arrive to hand out food and toys for the children who fill the shelters: schools have been suspended because the buildings are not sturdy enough to withstand another quake. The island's earthquake detection system has registered 1,104 tremors in the past two weeks alone, of which 186 could be felt by the population. By comparison, during the whole of 2019 there were 6,442 tremors, of which just 62 could be felt by people on the island.

Further south, in Guanico, Juan Santiago decided to move into a shelter on Saturday after a tremor of 5.9 on the Richter scale hit the island. "The mountain shook and rocks and earth started to come down," said the 30-year-old. "My house has a crack in it and is about to fall down," he added. His home had weathered the Category Five winds of Hurricane Maria in September 2017 and of Hurricane Irma which followed it just two weeks later. "It's different to a hurricane. What is happening now is much nastier," he said.

As he was talking the earth shook again, a tremor of 5.2 magnitude. Vehicles rocked like hammocks in the wind, but the quake-hardened victims barely reacted. The houses in this part of the island are mostly rudimentary constructions built by the people who live in them with scant resources available in the mountains, where no regulations stipulate that buildings should be earthquake resistant. The government of Puerto Rico said that as of Monday, there were 4,924 people living in 28 shelters in 14 municipalities. There were no figures on how many buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

- Seeking disaster designation -Puerto Rico's governor Wanda Vazquez Garced called on Trump to declare the earthquake a disaster and clear the way for desperately needed aid. Trump had declared an emergency days before, but the governor wanted more. The declaration of an emergency frees up to $5 million dollars in aid for the island, although Congress can bump that figure up. But if the situation is designated a disaster, there is no ceiling on funding, a FEMA spokesman said. On Wednesday, the government said it would release $8.2 billion in delayed hurricane relief that had been stalled after the president threatened to divert Puerto Rico's emergency funds to help pay for his wall on the US-Mexico border.

In the past few days there have been growing calls among Democratic lawmakers for Trump to declare the situation in Puerto Rico a disaster. It is a delicate subject, as Trump has accused the government of Puerto Rico of incompetence and of siphoning off hurricane relief money, triggering a public spat between the president and the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, as well as the former governor Ricardo Rossello, who was forced to step down last summer amid massive protests. The Puerto Rican leaders accused Trump of treating the population of the island like second class citizens.

Washington, Jan 11, 2020 (AFP) - A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Puerto Rico Saturday, the latest in a series of powerful tremors that have shaken the US territory in recent days, the US Geological Survey reported.

The latest quake occurred at 8:54 am local time (1254 GMT) around 13 kilometres (eight miles) southeast of Guanica, a town on the island's southern Caribbean coastline that was hard hit by earlier quakes. The USGS revised its initial report of a 6.0 magnitude quake to 5.9. It follows a 6.4 magnitude quake Tuesday that killed one person, knocked

out electric power and caused widespread damage.

Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency after Tuesday's quake, which forced an automatic shutdown of the power grid. Puerto Rico's electric power authority reported outages in the towns of Ponce, Lares, Adjuntas and San German after the latest quake. The Pacific Tsunami Information Center in Hawaii issued a statement saying there was "no significant tsunami threat" but a small possibility of tsunami waves along coasts nearest the epicentre.

The island is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, which came ashore more than two years ago as a devastating Category 4 storm. Starting December 28, a wave of tremors have swept the island, putting residents on edge. The 6.4 quake on January 7 came a day after a 5.8 magnitude quake; it was followed by major aftershocks. Saturday's quakes were also preceded by a string of smaller tremors.

Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, Jan 7, 2020 (AFP) - Puerto Rico's governor declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed at least one person in the south of the island and caused widespread damage. Governor Wanda Vazquez said the declaration would allow for the activation of National Guard troops in the US territory still recovering from a devastating 2017 hurricane. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 4:24 am (0824 GMT) with the epicenter off the coast of the southern city of Ponce, and was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks.

Tuesday's quake was the most powerful in a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28. Scientists initially sent out an alert about a potential tsunami but it was later canceled. The island's electricity authority said the quake had forced an automatic shutdown of the power grid, already severely damaged by Hurricane Maria more than two years ago. The worst damage appeared to be in towns on the southwest coast, including Ponce, Guayanilla and Guanica. El Nuevo Dia newspaper said a 73-year-old man died after a wall fell in his home in Ponce. Eight others there were reported injured.

Two power plants in Guayanilla sustained major damage, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority said. The city could be without power for two weeks, its mayor Nelson Torres Yordan said. Celebrity chef Jose Andres announced that a charity he runs, World Central Kitchen, had started serving meals and distributing solar-powered lamps in quake-hit areas. Vazquez announced that $130 million in emergency aid funding will be disbursed. On social media, people wrote of being shaken awake by the force of the quake. One woman on Twitter said she had been "wrenched from sleep." "Everybody is awake & scared all over," she posted. In Guayanilla, the Inmaculada Concepcion church, built in 1841, was heavily damaged. Volunteers salvaged statues and other valuable items from the ruins as a priest consoled distraught parishioners.

- 'Be safe' -A 5.8 magnitude quake on Monday toppled some structures, caused power outages and small landslides, but did not result in any casualties. It also destroyed a popular tourist landmark, Punta Ventana, a natural stone arch that crumbled on the island's southern coast. Vazquez, the governor, said government employees were being given the day off on Tuesday to take care of their families. "We want everyone to be safe," she said. She said ports were undamaged and there are several weeks' supply of gasoline, diesel and natural gas stored so people need not worry about shortages.

The White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed and Pete Gaynor, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), had been in touch with the governor. Trump's administration came under severe criticism for its response to Hurricane Maria. The Category 4 storm destroyed the island's already shaky power grid, overwhelmed public services, left many residents homeless and claimed several thousand lives, according to government estimates.

Washington, Jan 7, 2020 (AFP) - A strong earthquake struck south of Puerto Rico early Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, the latest in a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28. The shallow 6.5 magnitude quake struck 13.6 kilometres (8.5 miles) south of the city of Ponce, the USGS said, revising down its initial reading of 6.6. The quake struck just off the US territory's southern Caribbean coastline at 4:24 am local time (0824 GMT). "The whole island is without power," the director of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, Jose Ortiz, told local media.

Puerto Rico's governor Wanda Vazquez Garced posted on Twitter that the government's security protocols had been activated. She said government employees were not expected at work, adding: "We want everyone to be safe." On social media, people wrote of being shaken awake by the force of the quake. One woman on Twitter said she had been "wrenched from sleep", adding "Everybody is awake & scared all over."

Dramatic images also shared on social media appeared to show widespread damage in the town of Guayanilla, home to around 20,000 people, as well as nearby Guanica. The mayor of Guayanilla told local news channel NotiUno that the town's church had collapsed in the incident.

An alert issued by the Tsunami Warning Center immediately following the earthquake was later cancelled. Tuesday's quake was the strongest of a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28, topping Monday's 5.8 quake. That earthquake toppled houses and caused power outages, but there were no reports of casualties.

Gibraltar

United Kingdom and Gibraltar (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) US Consular Information SheetJune 03, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a highly developed constitutional monarc
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y comprised of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland.Read the Department of State Background Notes on the United Kingdom for additional information.Gibraltar is a United Kingdom Overseas Territory bordering Spain and located at the southernmost tip of Europe at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.It is one of thirteen former British colonies that have elected to continue their political links with London.Tourist facilities are widely available.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:A visa is not required for tourist or business visits to the UK of less than six months in duration.Visitors wishing to remain longer than one month in Gibraltar should regularize their stay with Gibraltar immigration authorities.Those planning to visit the UK for any purpose other than tourism or business, or who intend to stay longer than six months, should consult the website of the British Embassy in the United States at http://britainusa.com for information about current visa requirements.Those who are required to obtain a visa and fail to do so may be denied entry and returned to their port of origin.The British government is currently considering reducing the visa-free period from six months to 90 days.Travelers should be alert to any changes in legislation.The U.S. Embassy cannot intervene in UK visa matters. In addition to the British Embassy web site at http://britainusa.com, those seeking current UK visa information may also contact UK consular offices via their premium rate telephone service at 1-900-656-5000 (cost $3/minute) or 1-212-796-5773 ($12 flat fee). Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site.For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet. SAFETY AND SECURITY:The United Kingdom is politically stable, with a modern infrastructure, but shares with the rest of the world an increased threat of terrorist incidents of international origin, as well as the potential, though significantly diminished in recent years, for isolated violence related to the political situation in Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom). On July 7, 2005, a major terrorist attack occurred in London, as Islamic extremists detonated explosives on three underground trains and a bus in Central London, resulting in over 50 deaths and hundreds of injuries.Following the attacks, the public transportation system was temporarily disrupted, but quickly returned to normal.A similar but unsuccessful attack against London’s public transport system took place on July 21, 2005.UK authorities have identified and arrested people involved in these attacks.Similarly, those involved in terrorist incidents in London and Glasgow during the summer of 2007 were identified and arrested. Like the US, the UK shares its national threat levels with the general public to keep everyone informed and explain the context for the various increased security measures that may be encountered. UK threat levels are determined by the UK Home Office and are posted on its web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/current-threat-level/.Information from the UK Security Service, commonly known as MI5, about the reasons for the increased threat level and actions the public can take is available on the MI5 web site at http://www.mi5.gov.uk/.On August 10, 2006, the Government of the United Kingdom heightened security at all UK airports following a major counterterrorism operation in which individuals were arrested for plotting attacks against US-bound airlines.As a result of this, increased restrictions concerning carry-on luggage were put in place and are strictly enforced.American citizens are advised to check with the UK Department for Transport at http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/ regarding the latest security updates and carry-on luggage restrictions. The British Home Secretary has urged UK citizens to be alert and vigilant by, for example, keeping an eye out for suspect packages or people acting suspiciously at subway (called the “Tube” or Underground) and train stations and airports and reporting anything suspicious to the appropriate authorities.Americans are reminded to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.For more information about UK public safety initiatives, consult the UK Civil Contingencies Secretariat web site at http://www.ukresilience.gov.uk. The political situation in Northern Ireland has dramatically improved since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the announcement by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on July 28, 2005, that it would end its armed campaign, and the agreement to set up a power-sharing government on May 8, 2007.The potential remains, however, for sporadic incidents of street violence and/or sectarian confrontation. American citizens traveling to Northern Ireland should therefore remain alert to their surroundings and should be aware that if they choose to visit potential flashpoints or attend parades sporadic violence remains a possibility. Tensions may be heightened during the summer marching season (April to August), particularly during the month of July around the July 12th public holiday.

The phone number for police/fire/ambulance emergency services - the equivalent of "911" in the U.S. - is “999” in the United Kingdom and “112” in Gibraltar.This number should also be used for warnings about possible bombs or other immediate threats.The UK Anti-Terrorist Hotline, at 0800 789 321, is for tip-offs and confidential information about possible terrorist activity. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution can be found.Recent communications from U.S. Embassy London to the local American citizen community, called Warden Messages, can be found on the U.S. Embassy's American Citizens' Services web site at http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/acs/index.html. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad. CRIME:The United Kingdom and Gibraltar benefit from generally low crime rates and rates decreased slightly in 2007 in significant categories, including violent crime.The crime situation in the UK is similar to the United States, with typical incidents including pick-pocketing; mugging; “snatch and grab” thefts of mobile phones, watches and jewelry; and theft of unattended bags, especially at airports and from cars parked at restaurants, hotels and resorts.Pickpockets target tourists, especially at historic sites, restaurants, on buses, trains and the London Underground (the “Tube,” or subway).Thieves often target unattended cars parked at tourist sites and roadside restaurants, looking for laptop computers and hand-held electronic equipment, especially global positioning satellite equipment.Walking in isolated areas, including public parks, especially after dark, should also be avoided, as these provide advantageous venues for muggers and thieves.At night or when there is little foot traffic, travelers should be especially careful using the underground pedestrian tunnels.As a general rule, either walk the extra distance to use a surface crossing or wait until there are other adult pedestrians entering the tunnel.

In London, travelers should use only licensed “black taxi cabs,” or car services recommended by their hotel or tour operator.Unlicensed taxis or private cars posing as taxis may offer low fares, but are often uninsured and may have unlicensed drivers.In some instances, travelers have been robbed and raped while using these cars.You can access 7,000 licensed “Black Cabs” using just one telephone number – 0871 871 8710. This taxi booking service combines all six of London’s radio taxi circuits, allowing you to telephone 24 hours a day if you need to “hail a cab.” Alternatively, to find a licensed minicab, text “HOME” to 60835 on your mobile phone to get the telephone number to two licensed minicab companies in the area. If you know in advance what time you will be leaving for home, you can pre-book your return journey.The “Safe Travel at Night” partnership among the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, and the Mayor of London maintains a website with additional information at http://www.cabwise.com/. Travelers should not leave drinks unattended in bars and nightclubs.There have been some instances of drinks being spiked with illegal substances, leading to incidents of robbery and rape. Due to the circumstances described above, visitors should take steps to ensure the safety of their U.S. passports.Visitors in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Gibraltar are not expected to produce identity documents for police authorities and thus may secure their passports in hotel safes or residences.Abundant ATMs that link to U.S. banking networks offer an optimal rate of exchange and they preclude the need to carry a passport to cash travelers’ checks.Travelers should be aware that U.S. banks might charge a higher processing fee for withdrawals made overseas.Common sense personal security measures utilized in the U.S. when using ATMs should also be followed in the UK.ATM fraud in the UK is becoming more sophisticated, incorporating technologies to surreptitiously record customer ATM card and PIN information.Travelers should avoid using ATMs that look in any way “temporary” in structure or location, or that are located in isolated areas.Travelers should be aware that in busy public areas, thieves use distraction techniques, such as waiting until the PIN number has been entered and then pointing to money on the ground, or attempting to hand out a free newspaper.When the ATM user is distracted, a colleague will quickly withdraw cash and leave.If distracted in any way, travelers should press the cancel transaction button immediately and collect their card before speaking to the person who has distracted them.If the person’s motives appear suspicious, travelers should not challenge them but remember the details and report the matter to Police as soon as possible.In addition, travelers should not use the ATM if there is anything stuck to the machine or if it looks unusual in any way.If the machine does not return the card, report the incident to the issuing bank immediately.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate at the opening of the next business day.The U.S. Embassy or Consulate only issues replacement passports during regular business hours.If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, report it to local police.The nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate will also be able to assist by helping you to find appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and explaining how funds could be transferred.Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Visit the “Victim Support” web site, maintained by an independent UK charity to helps people cope with the effects of crime: http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/See our information for Victims of Crime. MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:While medical services are widely available, free care under the National Health System is allowed only to UK residents and certain EU nationals.Tourists and short-term visitors will be charged for medical treatment in the UK.Charges may be significantly higher than those assessed in the United States. Hiking in higher elevations can be treacherous.Several people die each year while hiking, particularly in Scotland, often due to sudden changes in weather.Visitors, including experienced hikers, are encouraged to discuss intended routes with local residents familiar with the area, and to adhere closely to recommendations. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en.

MEDICAL INSURANCE:The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.If your medical insurance policy does not provide overseas coverage, you may want to purchase a short-term policy for your trip.The Department of State provides a list of travel insurance companies that can provide the additional insurance needed for the duration of one’s trip abroad in its online at medical insurance overseas. Remember also that most medical care facilities and medical care providers in the UK do not accept insurance subscription as a primary source of payment.Rather, the beneficiary is expected to pay for the service and then seek reimbursement from the insurance company.This may require an upfront payment in the $10,000 to $20,000 range

Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.The information below concerning the United Kingdom is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

UK penalties for driving under the influence of even minimal amounts of alcohol or drugs are stiff and often result in prison sentences.In contrast to the United States and continental Europe, where traffic drives on the right side of the road, in the UK, it moves on the left. The maximum speed limit on highways/motorways in the UK is 70MPH.Motorways generally have a hard shoulder (breakdown lane) on the far left, defined by a solid white line.It is illegal to stop or park on a hard shoulder unless it is an emergency.In such cases, you should activate your hazard lights, get out of your vehicle and go onto an embankment for safety. Emergency call boxes (orange telephone booths with “SOS” printed on them) may be found at half-mile intervals along the motorway.White and blue poles placed every 100 yards along the motorway point in the direction of the nearest call box.Emergency call boxes dial directly to a motorway center.It is best to use these phones rather than a personal cell phone, because motorway center personnel will immediately know the location of a call received from an emergency call box. Roadside towing services may cost approximately £125.However, membership fees of automotive associations such as the RAC or AA (Automobile Association) often include free roadside towing service.Visitors uncomfortable with, or intimidated by, the prospect of driving on the left-hand side of the road may wish to avail themselves of extensive bus, rail and air transport networks that are comparatively inexpensive.Roads in the UK are generally excellent, but are narrow and often congested in urban areas.If you plan to drive while in the UK, you may wish to obtain a copy of the Highway Code, available at http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk. Travelers intending to rent cars in the UK should make sure that they are adequately insured.U.S. auto insurance is not always valid outside the U.S., and travelers may wish to purchase supplemental insurance, which is generally available from most major rental agents.The city of London imposes a congestion charge of £8 (eight pounds sterling, or approximately U.S. $16.00) on all cars entering much of central London Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.Information on the congestion charge can be found at http://www.cclondon.com. Public transport in the United Kingdom is excellent and extensive.However, poor track conditions may have contributed to train derailments resulting in some fatalities.Repairs are underway and the overall safety record is excellent.Information on disruptions to London transportation services can be found at http://www.tfl.gov.uk and information about the status of National Rail Services can be found at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk.Many U.S. pedestrians are injured, some fatally, every year in the United Kingdom, because they forget that oncoming traffic approaches from the opposite direction than in the United States.Extra care and alertness should be taken when crossing streets; remember to look both ways before stepping into the street. Driving in Gibraltar is on the right-hand side of the road, as in the U.S. and Continental Europe.Persons traveling overland between Gibraltar and Spain may experience long delays in clearing Spanish border controls. Please refer to our Road Safety Overseas page for more information.For specific information concerning United Kingdom driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, refer to the United Kingdom’s Department of Environment and Transport web site at http://www.dft.gov.uk, the Driving Standards Agency web site at http://www.dsa.gov.uk or consult the U.S. Embassy in London’s web site at http://london.usembassy.gov/.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of the UK’s air carrier operations.For further information, travelers may visit the FAA's web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:The legal drinking age in the UK is generally lower than in the U.S. and social drinking in pubs is often seen as a routine aspect of life in Britain. Parents, organizers of school trips, and young travelers should be aware of the impact that this environment may have when combined with the sense of adventure that comes with being abroad.Please see our Students Abroad web site as well Studying Abroad to help students plan a safe and enjoyable adventure. The UK has strict gun-control laws, and importing firearms is extremely complicated. Travelers should consider leaving all firearms in the United States.Restrictions exist on the type and number of weapons that may be possessed by an individual.All handguns, i.e. pistols and revolvers, are prohibited with very few exceptions.Licensing of firearms in the UK is controlled by the Police.Applicants for a license must be prepared to show 'good reason' why they require each weapon.Applicants must also provide a copy of their U.S. gun license, a letter of good conduct from their local U.S. police station and a letter detailing any previous training, hunting or shooting experience. Background checks will also be carried out.Additional information on applying for a firearm certificate and/or shotgun certificate can be found on the Metropolitan Police Firearms Enquiry Teams web site at http://www.met.police.uk/firearms-enquiries/index.htm. A number of Americans are lured to the UK each year in the belief that they have won a lottery or have inherited from the estate from a long-lost relative.Americans may also be contacted by persons they have “met” over the Internet who now need funds urgently to pay for hospital treatment, hotel bills, taxes or airline security fees.Invariably, the person contacted is the victim of fraud.Any unsolicited invitations to travel to the UK to collect winnings or an inheritance should be viewed with skepticism.Also, there are no licenses or fees required when transiting a UK airport, nor is emergency medical treatment withheld pending payment of fees.Please see our information on International Financial Scams. Please read our Customs Information.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.Persons violating British law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the UK are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.Please see our information on Criminal Penalties. Many pocketknives and other blades, and mace or pepper spray canisters, although legal in the U.S., are illegal in the UK and will result in arrest and confiscation if detected.A UK Metropolitan Police guide to items that are prohibited as offensive weapons is available at http://www.met.police.uk/youngpeople/guns.htm.A UK Customs Guide, detailing what items visitors are prohibited from bringing into the UK, is available at http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_CL_001734.Air travelers to and from the United Kingdom should be aware that penalties against alcohol-related and other in-flight crimes (“air rage”) are stiff and are being enforced with prison sentences.Please also see our information on customs regulations that pertain when returning to the US.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES:For information on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children’s Issues.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:Americans living or traveling in the United Kingdom are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the United Kingdom.By registering, Americans make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency, and to relay updated information on travel and security within the United Kingdom.The Embassy and Consulates regularly send security and other information via email to Americans who have registered.As noted above, recent communications from U.S. Embassy London to the local American citizen community, called Warden Messages, can be found on the embassy’s web site.Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.The Consular Section also disseminates a newsletter every month.Those wishing to subscribe to the monthly consular newsletter in London should send a request by email to SCSLondon@state.gov. The U.S. Embassy is located at 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 1AE; telephone: in country 020-7499-9000; from the U.S. 011-44-20-7499-9000 (24 hours); Consular Section fax: in country 020-7495-5012; from the U.S. 011-44-20-7495-5012, and on the Internet at http://london.usembassy.gov. The U.S. Consulate General in Edinburgh, Scotland, is located at 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BW; Telephone: in country 0131-556-8315, from the U.S. 011-44-131-556-8315.After hours: in country 01224-857097, from the U.S. 011-44-1224-857097.Fax: in country 0131-557-6023; from the U.S. 011-44-131-557-6023.Information on the Consulate General is included on the Embassy’s web site at http://london.usembassy.gov/scotland. The U.S. Consulate General in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is located at Danesfort House, 228 Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5GR; Telephone: in country 028-9038-6100; from the U.S. 011-44-28-9038-6100.Fax:in country 028-9068-1301; from the U.S. 011-44-28-9068-1301.Information on the Consulate General is included on the Embassy’s web site at: http://london.usembassy.gov/nireland. There is no U.S. consular representation in Gibraltar.Passport questions should be directed to the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, located at Serrano 75, Madrid, Spain, tel (34)(91) 587-2200, and fax (34)(91) 587-2303.The web site is http://madrid.usembassy.gov.All other inquiries should be directed to the U.S. Embassy in London.* * *This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated December 12, 2007, to update the sections on Entry Requirements, Safety and Security, Crime, Victims of Crime, Medical Facilities, Medical Insurance, Traffic Safety and Road Conditions, and Special Circumstances.

Aedes mosquitoes in Gilbraltar lead to concern over a number of diseases
Disease Chikungunya Virus Gibraltar
- 3 years ago

An aggressive species of mosquito known to transmit viral diseases has been detected in Gibraltar, but public health officials insist there is no cause for alarm. Public Health Gibraltar and the Environmental Agency confirmed that the mosquito of the species _Aedes albopictus_, also known as the tiger mosquito, has been found in Gibraltar.

Last June [2017] after 9 months of intensive surveillance, officials said no tiger mosquito had been found in Gibraltar. But this has now changed after the 1st tiger mosquito was found in the urban dome stic environment within Gibraltar. "This finding alone does not however materially alter any health risks in Gibraltar and there is no immediate cause for public concern," the government said in a statement. Public Health Gibraltar was first alerted in January 2016 to the discovery of the mosquito in Malaga and Algeciras [in Andalusia, Spain]. Since then, together with the Environmental Agency, it began working with international experts to mount surveillance in Gibraltar.

World Health Organization experts visited Gibraltar and gave advice on setting traps and monitoring locations, but no tiger mosquito had been detected until now. The tiger mosquito is not native to Gibraltar and has not been previously found here. It is common in other countries where it transmits viral diseases like Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. It is a domestic species, breeds in water in urban areas -- water butts, blocked drains, rainwater gullies -- and is able to reach high abundance around residential areas.

It is also a day-time mosquito, that aggressively bites humans. "Health risks to the public only arise if the virus causing these diseases is also present, which is not the case in Gibraltar," the government said. "The virus can, however, be imported by travellers returning from an overseas country and if this happens, there is a risk of spread, but only if the mosquito bites within a small window period of about a week after the fever starts."

Public Health Gibraltar has been raising awareness of travel risk amongst travellers through its publication A Factsheet for Travellers and recommends the following precautions:- before travelling to affected areas, consult your doctor or seek advice from a travel clinic, especially if you have an immune disorder or severe chronic illness;- if you are pregnant or are considering pregnancy, consider postponing non-essential travel;- when staying in a mosquito-prone area, wear mosquito repellents and take mosquito bite prevention measures;- if you have symptoms within 3 weeks of return from an affected country, contact your doctor;- if you have been diagnosed with any of the diseases Zika, dengue, or chikungunya, take strict mosquito bite prevention measures for 10 days after the fever starts.========================== [The appearance of _Aedes albopictus_ in Gibraltar is not surprising. A map of the distribution of this species as of April this year (2017) shows it present around the Mediterranean Basin and up to Gibraltar on the west (<https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/aedes-albopictus-current-known-distribution-europe-april-2017>).

Now it has been found in Gibraltar. The concerns are real about transmission of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses should populations of _Ae. albopictus_ become established. In 2015 there were a few locally acquired cases of dengue in the south of France. This also happened on a larger scale in Emilia Romagna, Italy, when a viraemic man introduced chikungunya virus into Italy and sparked an outbreak.

One hopes that mosquito surveillance will continue in Gibraltar, perhaps be intensified, and help guide vector control efforts. - ProMED Mod.TY]

GIBRALTAR, June 1, 2011 (AFP) - A fuel tank exploded and caught fire near a cruise ship in the British territory of Gibraltar Tuesday, injuring at least 15 people, most of them on the vessel, local officials and the ship's owners said. The blast was probably caused by a spark from welding operations, Chief Minister Peter Caruana told Radio Gibraltar. But police were not ruling out any possibility including that of an attack, he added. Flames several metres high could be seen coming out of the tank with dense black smoke billowing across the port as firefighters directed jets of water at the blaze from tugboats. The fire continued late into the night, with Radio Gibraltar reporting more explosions were heard. The tank was close to the giant cruise ship, Independence of the Seas, which had arrived in Gibraltar Tuesday morning. The ship made an emergency departure immediately after the blast Tuesday afternoon.

The Gibraltar government and the ship's owners, Royal Caribbean International, both said 12 people on the ship had been hurt. Gibraltar officials said one of the passengers had suffered a fractured arm. Two Spanish welders working on the tank were injured, including one who was in critical condition in a burns unit at a hospital in the southern Spanish city of Seville, Radio Gibraltar said. A police officer was also slightly injured in the rescue attempt, police said. "The lid of the tank was blown off by the blast," a police spokesman said. The statement from Royal Caribbean International said: "Immediately after the explosion, the ship retracted the gangway and moved a safe distance from the dock. "Twelve guests sustained minor injuries and have received medical treatment onboard." The boat was on a two-week cruise, having left the southern English port of Southampton on Saturday, the company added.

Air services to Gibraltar were suspended and offices in the port area evacuated. The police spokesman said the possibility of adjacent tanks overheating and exploding could not be ruled out. Caruana described it as a serious incident but said there was "no cause for concern". "Once it was established that there were welding operations going on, on top of the very tank at the time it exploded, (that) makes that a frontrunner for a likely explanation, but all possibilities are being kept open," he told Radio Gibraltar. "The police are obviously keeping their minds open to the possibility of maybe a security incident. It's looking unlikely but all possibilities are being looked into if only to be excluded."

"The plan is to allow it to carry on burning itself off," he said later Tuesday, but warned that the wind was due to change during the night, which could bring the smoke over land. Spanish tugs from a private company were helping the local fire services, he added. One witness said he was in his office nearby when he heard three loud explosions. "We started running out and saw one of the main tanks set alight. My concern was the poor people who were working there," he told Radio Gibraltar. The public was being advised to keep away from the area and keep windows closed due to the smoke. Gibraltar is a 6.5-square-kilometre (2.6-square-mile) British territory of around 30,000 people off the tip of southern Spain. Madrid ceded it to London in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, but it has long fuelled tensions between the two countries.

GIBRALTAR, Aug 10, 2010 (AFP) - Gibraltar on Tuesday condemned as "illegal" a proposal by the neighbouring Spanish town of La Linea to impose a tax on cars entering or leaving the tiny British territory by road. The decision comes amid thorny relations between Madrid and London over the disputed British possession off the tip of southern Spain.

La Linea mayor Alejandro Sanchez on Monday announced the "congestion charge" of no more than five euros (6.5 dollars) on cars crossing into and out of Gibraltar, saying the measure will be imposed in October once it is passed by the town council. He said lorries carrying debris and other materials used in Gibraltar to reclaim land from the sea will pay more, but the exact amount has not yet been determined. Sanchez, a member of Spain's conservative opposition Popular Party, said the tax is needed partly to compensate the municipality for austerity measures imposed by the socialist government in Madrid. La Linea residents would be exempt, but it was not clear if Gibraltarians would also have to pay.

The Gibraltar government reacted angrily and said it has contacted the Spanish authorities over the decision. "The confused statements by the mayor of La Linea in respect of the proposed toll describe a litany of illegalities under EU Law and probably also under Spanish law," it said in a statement. "The mayor of La Linea is clearly engaged in a political manoeuvre with his central government, which is unlikely to allow the proposal.

"The mayor's proposals are wholly unacceptable both legally and politically and in the unlikely event that these measures should be introduced, the (Gibraltar) government will take appropriate steps." Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht but has retained first claim on the tiny peninsula should Britain renounce sovereignty.

"The Rock" has long fuelled tensions between Spain and Britain, with Madrid arguing the 6.5-square-kilometre (2.6-square-mile) territory that is home to roughly 30,000 people should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. But its people overwhelmingly rejected an Anglo-Spanish proposal for co-sovereignty in a referendum in 2002. In recent months British and Spanish naval and police boats have engaged in a series of cat and mouse games in the waters off Gibraltar, which lies at the strategic western entrance to the Mediterranean.

During the last 10 weeks, Gibraltar has experienced an outbreak of measles. "We have so far been notified of over 250 cases and notifications are still coming in at around 4-6 cases per day," said the Gibraltar Health Authority [GHA], who believe that the actual numbers are greater as many people with mild attacks have chosen not to report them. While the majority of infections in the outbreak have been mild, some have been severe and a few patients including babies have needed intensive care. Measles is an unpleasant disease with fever, sore throat, streaming eyes, diarrhoea, and rash. Most people recover within a week or so, but complications like fits, bacterial infection, or pneumonia can develop. Long-term complications can also arise in very young children.

Says the GHA: It is important that all persons with symptoms suggestive of measles should report the illness to their doctor to enable complications to be detected at an early stage. In addition to medical advice, persons with the illness should follow general hygiene practices such as limiting contact with other people, carefully discarding soiled tissues, and washing their hands. Anyone who has had measles infection is immune for life and cannot get measles again. There is no basis for the rumour that some people have had measles twice. It is possible that infection with rubella (German measles, a different disease) may have caused the confusion. Vaccination with the MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella] vaccine is the only way to prevent measles infection.

[So far], the 250 cases have been in persons who are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated (one dose only). Not a single case has occurred in a person who has had a full course of MMR vaccine. MMR vaccine has been available free to children [from] Gibraltar's health service since 1989, although the boosters were only introduced in 2002. It is also a very safe and effective vaccine, with an impressive track record," they say. Gibraltar Health Authority adds that it is continuing to advise all parents of children who have not had the MMR vaccine to immunise their children. There had been some difficulties in obtaining vaccine recently due to an international shortage, but fresh supplies have now been received. The course consists of 2 injections, approximately 3 months apart. Please note that BOTH the doses are needed for adequate immunity. They add: If your child has received only one dose, either now or in the past, he or she could still be at risk. Arrangements have been made to offer additional vaccination to all unimmunised children as follows: During October and November [2008], the Child Welfare Clinics (primary care centre) will be open on Mondays (2:00 pm to 4:00 pm), Wednesdays (9:00 am to 11:00 am) and Fridays (9:00 am to 11:00 am) for immunisations. Appointments are not necessary.

-------------------------------

[The Rock of Gibraltar is located at the entrance of the Mediterranean. Gibraltar is connected to Spain by a sandy isthmus, by a ferry to Morocco, and by flights to London. By virtue of its geographical position and political status Gibraltar is vulnerable to introduction of infectious disease from diverse sources. No information has been provided regarding the source of the measles virus responsible for this outbreak. In this respect it will be relevant to determine the genotype of the measles virus involved (see comment in ProMED-mail "Measles - Gibraltar 20080814.2529"). The outbreak has escalated from the 17 cases reported on 14 Aug 2008 to the current 250 cases. Despite the availability of free MMR vaccination it is clear that there is an appreciable number of unimmunised individuals in the community who remain susceptible to measles virus infection. It is encouraging that efforts are underway to expand vaccine coverage.

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:56:40 +0200 (METDST) GIBRALTAR, April 16, 2008 (AFP) - Animal rights groups have expressed outrage over a plan by Gibraltar's government to cull its famous Barbary Apes, which are posing a hazard as they roam the town in search of food. The government of the tiny British territory off Spain's southern coast plans to cull 25 of the simians, whose population has exploded to around 200. The mischievous primates climb over cars and pull out antennas, open rubbish bags and rifle through handbags left unattended in the popular tourist destination. Officially, the management of the apes is the responsibility of the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS), on contract from the government. But the society said it has not approved the cull. "Our policy is that culling can be a population management solution but only in extreme cases when there is no other more suitable option," GONHS general secretary Dr. John Cortes said on Tuesday. "We would only ever recommend a cull after very careful assessment of the situation from a veterinary and a genetic point of view." However, Environment Minister Ernest Britto said a licence has been issued for the cull and two of the apes have already been given lethal injections. Helen Thirlway, the head of Britain's International Primate Protection League, said the government was failing to manage the apes "in a responsible manner." "There have been many advances and pilot studies in recent years on different methods of controlling free-roaming monkeys," she was quoted as saying in the local media Wednesday. "We are more than happy to work with the government of Gibraltar and with GONHS to help them develop more efficient, alternative solutions, but this needless slaughter has to stop." According to legend, if the apes disappear, Britain will lose control of Gibraltar. When wartime British prime minister Winston Churchill heard their population was low, British consuls in North Africa -- from where the apes originally came -- were tasked with sending new young simians to the Rock. At one time, the apes were looked after by the British army stationed in Gibraltar, which selected a place up the Rock where they were fed daily to keep them from loitering downtown. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713, but has retained a constitutional claim should Britain renounce sovereignty. The vast majority of the 30,000 people want to retain their links with Britain.

Gabon

Gabon - US Consular Information SheetAugust 15, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:Gabon is a developing nation on the western coast of central Africa.French is the official language; few Gabonese speak English.Facilities for tourism o
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tside the capital city, Libreville, are available, but they are often limited and can be expensive.Read the Department of State Background Notes on Gabon for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:A passport and visa are required.Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for entry.Visas must be obtained in advance, as airport visas are no longer available.Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of Gabon, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC20009, telephone: (202) 797-1000, fax: (202) 332-0668.Travelers may also contact the Gabonese Consulate at 18 East 41st St., Ninth Floor, New York, NY 10017, telephone (212) 683-7371.Overseas, inquiries should be made to the nearest Gabonese embassy or consulate.All non-Gabonese citizens, with the exception of those bearing diplomatic or official passports, are required to obtain exit visas from the Direction Générale à la Documentation et l’Immigration (DGDI, formerly known as CEDOC) before departing Gabon.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site.For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:Americans should maintain security awareness at all times.There have been isolated incidents of civil unrest within the past year, both in the capital city and in the interior.Large gatherings such as sporting events or any other event where crowds have congregated to demonstrate or protest should be avoided.

Americans may contact the U.S. Embassy in Gabon for the most up-to-date information on safety and security.The Embassy informs the registered resident American community of security matters through a warden system (please see the Registration/Embassy Location section below for more information).

In the event of a fire, dial 18. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME:In Gabon, petty thievery is common.Violent crime is more common in urban areas, and there have been cases of armed robberies in homes and in restaurants frequented by foreigners.Occasionally Americans or Europeans have been victims of crime.

The U.S. Embassy encourages Americans to take extra precautions when traveling in Libreville.To prevent carjacking, citizens are encouraged to travel with their automobile windows up and doors locked.Marginal neighborhoods, poorly lit streets, and unfamiliar areas of the city should be avoided, especially at night.Walking or running on the beach alone at night should be avoided.When dining in restaurants or visiting markets, it is recommended that one carry only minimal amounts of cash and avoid wearing excessive amounts of jewelry.If involved in an attempted robbery or carjacking, Americans are encouraged to comply with the attacker to avoid injury and to report all incidents to the police and the U.S. Embassy.Police response time to reports of crime can be slow.

Scams or confidence schemes do occur in Gabon.For general information on scams, see our Financial Scams webpage. Credit cards are not widely accepted except at hotels, and because of the high rates of credit card fraud, their use outside major chain hotels is not recommended.

There have been incidents of sexual assault against foreigners.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends, and explain how funds could be transferred.Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Gabon to reach the police is 177. See our information on Victims of Crime. MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:Medical facilities in Gabon's major cities are limited, but they are generally adequate for routine or basic needs.Medical services in rural areas are generally unavailable.Additionally, some medicines are not available; travelers should carry necessary, properly labeled medications with them.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Gabon.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s website at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en.Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en.

MEDICAL INSURANCE:The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.Please see our information on medical insurance overseas. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.The information below concerning Gabon is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Travel by road in Gabon can be hazardous.It is recommended that you drive with your car windows up and the doors locked.Travelers are routinely stopped at police checkpoints within cities and on roads to the interior.Americans should comply politely if stopped, but avoid encouraging bribery if possible.Travelers should use extreme caution when driving after dark.Two-lane roads are the norm throughout Gabon.Roads to outlying cities have visible and hidden dangers that are profuse, including large potholes, absence of road signs, poor to non-existent streetlights, and the presence of pedestrians and animals.Construction work is often poorly indicated.Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for travel beyond the paved road to Lambarene, especially during the rainy season.

Roadside assistance and emergency medical services are available in Libreville, but they may not be dependable.Such services are nonexistent outside of the city.Service stations are available along main roads, but vehicle repair facilities are not always available.Drivers must have a valid international driver's license (available from AAA and the American Automobile Routing Alliance) when driving in Gabon.

Use of taxis is generally safe but does pose added risks.It is recommended that one use a hotel taxi when possible.Before riding in a taxi, check that the taxi has seatbelts and agree on a fare.Riding in a taxi alone or during late hours of the evening is not recommended and creates additional risk of becoming a victim of crime.Rail services are available, but infrequent, and travelers should be prepared for delays.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Gabon, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Gabon’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s internet website at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:Gabon is a francophone country; travelers who do not speak French will face difficulties associated with the language barrier.

Americans should always carry identification with them in the event they are stopped at a police checkpoint.

Taking photographs of the Presidential Palace, military or other government buildings is strictly forbidden. Official corruption is common, but offering bribes is not recommended. Gabon is largely a cash economy.Credit cards are accepted at only a few major hotels.Travelers’ checks can be cashed or dollars exchanged for Central African Francs (CFA) at hotels and banks.ATMs are available in major urban centers, and dispense CFA.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.Persons violating Gabonese laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Gabon are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:Americans living or traveling in Gabon are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Gabon.Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.By registering, Americans make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.

The U.S. Embassy is located downtown on the Boulevard du Bord de Mer.The mailing address is Centre Ville, B.P. 4000, Libreville, Gabon.The telephone numbers are (241) 76-20-03 or (241) 76-20-04.The fax numbers are (241) 74-55-07 or (241) 76-88-49 and the web site is http://libreville.usembassy.gov/.*

*

*This replaces the Country Specific Information dated November 5, 2007 to update sections on Safety and Security, Crime, Information for Victims of Crime, Medical Facilities and Health Information, Traffic Safety and Road Conditions, and Special Circumstances.

Libreville, April 27, 2020 (AFP) - Gabon said Monday it was relaxing a two-week-old coronavirus lockdown in the capital Libreville and three neighbouring areas. With three deaths and 176 cases among its two-million population, half of whom live in the capital, Prime Minister Julien Nkoghe Bekale said some restrictions would be scaled back.

Some shops and hair salons would be allowed to reopen, he said, but travel beyond the city and its environs would remain prohibited to avoid contagion to other provinces. "We are approaching the peak of the epidemic, which could come between the end of May and mid-June," Bekale said.

Schools, restaurants and places of worship will remain closed, wearing masks will be compulsory and a curfew will remain in place from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am. Borders are also closed -- a source of concern for Gabonese as the country imports the bulk of its foodstuffs. Bekale said the partial lifting of the lockdown took into account concern over potential "social destabilisation" if people could not earn a living.

Libreville, April 13, 2020 (AFP) - Gabon on Monday began confinement measures in the capital and three nearby municipalities in restrictions enforced by security forces to contain the spread of coronavirus. Libreville on Monday was mostly idle, with shops and markets empty and police roadblocks set up at many crossroads as the measures came into force. Prime Minister Julien Nkoghe Bekale on Friday asked residents of the capital and three surrounding areas to stay at home after Gabon, with two million inhabitants, reported 57 cases and one death from the virus.

Under the restrictions, drivers cannot leave their neighbourhoods without being able to prove that they are exercising a profession deemed essential by the government. While food stores are authorized to operate, many of them did not open on Monday, leaving some residents without stocks. "To see them closed is tough. There are moms who can't get out, it's complicated," said Levy, a 22-year-old student.

Traders of the largest market in the capital, Mont-Bouet, claim they are struggling to get supplies as Gabon depends heavily on food imports, especially from Cameroon. Already last month, Gabon restricted international flights, closed schools and banned gatherings of more than 30 people in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

Libreville, April 3, 2020 (AFP) - Gabon on Friday banned the sale and eating of bats and pangolins, which are suspected of sparking the novel coronavirus in China where they are highly prized in traditional medicine. President Ali Bongo Ondimba also announced the government was planning to lock down the capital Libreville and unveiled an emergency package for those hard hit by the pandemic. The novel coronavirus is believed to have come from bats, but researchers think it might have spread to humans via another mammal. Pangolins are critically endangered and have long been protected, but they are sold in the markets of the capital Libreville, as are bats, and their meat is popular.

The central African nation is 88 percent covered in forest and hunting and bush meat have long been a way of life. The water and forest ministry said the novel coronavirus was a "combination of two different viruses, one close to bats and the other closer to pangolins", and claimed to be quoting a scientific study published in Nature. Gabon has declared 21 COVID-19 infections, but none from animals, the ministry said. "A similar decision was taken by the authorities when our country was affected by the Ebola virus -- a ban on eating primates," Forestry Minister Lee White said.

The national parks agency ANPN announced in mid-March that tourists would no longer be allowed to interact with great apes to avoid any risk of contamination by the coronavirus. The pangolin, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal, also called the scaly anteater, is believed to have possibly been a vector in the leap of the novel coronavirus from animal to human at a market in China's Wuhan city last year. Its body parts fetch a high price on the black market as they are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, although scientists say they have no therapeutic value.

Gabon has also put in place a raft of measures such as grounding international flights, closing schools and ordering a night curfew to stop the spread of the coronavirus. On Friday, Bongo said Libreville would be put under lockdown "in the coming days" but gave no precise date. All but one of Gabon's reported 21 cases are in the city, where a large proportion of the country's two million residents live. Bongo also announced an aid package of 250 billion CFA francs (380 million euros) to help both individuals and businesses whose livelihoods have suffered because of the crisis.

Libreville, March 16, 2020 (AFP) - Gabon, a forest-covered haven for gorillas and chimpanzees, will stop allowing tourists to see its great apes fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals, the country's forest agency said Monday. The Central African nation has one only confirmed COVID-19 case so far, but fears linger after an Ebola epidemic in 1995 wiped out more than 90 percent of the gorillas in the verdant north. "We have decided to close tourist activities for viewing the great apes in our parks to avoid any risk of transmissions between humans and the animals," said Christian Tchemambela of the country's National Agency for National Parks (ANPN). "The respiratory viruses that affect humans are easily transmitted to great apes because the two species are so closely related," he told AFP.

Gabon has taken drastic measures to counter the spread of the virus, closing schools, bars and nightclubs since Friday, a day after the country confirmed its first case -- a 27-year-old man who had recently returned from France. Almost 80 percent of Gabon is covered by forests, and primate habitation programmes have been set up in its parks in recent years to attract tourism and use the income to further finance wildlife protection. "Because of the new coronavirus, humans being in contact with gorillas pose a threat," said Tchemambela. He added that staff working in the parks will be placed in quarantine for 14 days before being able to enter areas near the gorillas.

Encouragement as Gabon declared by WHO to be free of Poliomyelitis
Disease Poliomyelitis Gabon
- 2 years ago

The World Health Organisation has declared Gabon a "polio-free country", given the lack of new reported or suspected cases in the central African country.

According to a WHO statement obtained by AFP on [Sat 16 Dec 2017], the UN health agency nonetheless recommended taking the necessary steps to continue monitoring for possible signs of the disease.

Gabon's Health Minister Denise Mekam'ne Edzidzie also urged families on [Sat 15 Dec 2017] to "continue to immunise children and prevent a resurgence of this disease."

Polio is a highly-infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children and can result in permanent paralysis. There is no cure and it can only be prevented through immunisation.

Cases of polio have decreased by 99 percent since 1988, when polio was endemic in 125 countries and 350 000 cases were recorded worldwide.

==================

[Positive news as another country in Africa is declared polio-free. The most recent confirmed case of WPV associated disease in Gabon was reported in 2011 (<https://extranet.who.int/polis/public/CaseCount.aspx>) when there was an outbreak associated with an importation from Angola (see ProMED post Poliomyelitis - worldwide (07): update http://promedmail.org/post/20110512.1462). Of note, reviewing the surveillance data available, since 2000, there has only been one confirmed WPV associated case in Gabon (in 2011), with "compatible" cases reported in 2000 (3 cases), 2001 (3 cases), and 2015 (3 cases).

Tanzania

GeneralNowadays there are few areas of our planet where you can really experience the timeless wonder and separation from the hum drum we face in our daily lives. Visiting Africa is fascinating and provides a new perspective on another life, another
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world. The vast, untamed and primitive landscape provides a perfect glimpse into a life which many miss as they go about their daily chores. A trip which includes the majestic splendour of Africa’s tallest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro, rates high on the list of the unofficial wonders of the world and one not to be missed if the opportunity arises. Mt KilimanjaroThis is the highest peak in all of Africa stretching 5895m above sea level. Actually a few years ago the height of the summit was reassessed and then dropped by approximately 10m with more accurate recording by global positioning satellite. However, this minimal change will not be noticed by most travellers! There are a number of routes up to the summit and obviously which route is taken will make a significant difference to both the difficulty of the trek and any potential medical difficulties. Travelling with sufficient and well experienced guides and porters, and being part of a well organised group, are probably the most important factors in protecting your health. Travelling to TanzaniaMt Kilimanjaro is situated just across the border from Kenya in the northern part of Tanzania. You can approach the region by a number of different routes including buses from Nairobi, travelling from Dar es Salaam or flights straight into Moshi. How you travel for your climb of Kilimanjaro makes quite a significant difference to some of the health issues which you may face along the way. General Health IssuesBefore you leave for your trip make sure you are in good enough general health. If you can’t even run up a flight of stairs without collapsing then a trip up Kilimanjaro might not be the best choice! If you are unsure then see your doctor and ask for his or her advice at an early stage - before you commit yourself to the trip. Long-Haul FlightsFlying to either Nairobi or Dar es Salaam takes between 9 to 10 hours from most Western European centres. This is regarded as a ‘long-haul flight’ so make sure you realise the risks associated with blood clotting in the legs and drink plenty of still fluids (water is the best), walk around the plane and use compression stockings if you are at any particular risk. (DVT in travel - TMB) Food & WaterIn Africa, as in many other areas of the world, what you eat and what you drink are essential for your well being. Being part of a large group has its advantages but you also need to stick with food and water that suits you personally. Don’t take extra risks with what you eat or drink just because others seem to be okay. Have your own sensible rules and remember to care for your stomach! Dehydration is common while climbing in a hot climate just make sure the water you drink is pure. You will also lose salt through perspiration and this will need to be replaced by increasing the amount of salt you put on your food at meal times. What shoes to wearRemember this is a walking holiday so prepare well in advance. Obviously increase your walking at home before you leave but remember to also include some significant hill walks to test your shoes. Blisters and corns are regularly associated with poorly fitted and substandard boots so spend that extra to get a pair that suits you and supports both the arch of your foot and also your ankles. A slightly larger pair is essential to lessen the pressure on your feet. Good thick socks will help to absorb perspiration and cushion your feet against friction. Clothes to bringThis is one of the most difficult areas to sort out. The weather and climate along your climb will vary from a beautiful Irish-like summer day, to a roasting hot, dehydrating scorcher to a chilly or freezing night when the sun retires after about 6 pm. You must pack light cotton clothing but warm enough for the chill of the evenings at altitude. A wide brimmed hat (and sun lotion) is essential to protect against sun burn. Problems at AltitudeHigh altitude is defined as over approx 3500m and as you know Kilimanjaro is a whole lot higher. The affects of altitude can hit anybody but most commonly it is the fit younger traveller who experiences the most serious consequences and even death. The doctor who discusses your vaccines and malaria prophylaxis will talk through the issues relating to Altitude sickness and may prescribe a medication to lessen the risks in certain circumstances. But remember, this disease can kill so if you develop any possible symptoms (lightheadedness, headaches, altered gait etc) please report it to your guide immediately. (Altitude sickness - TMB)

Being part of a groupThe main advantage of being part of a group is that each member can help look-out for others during the trip. Never get separated from your main party and always report it if you feel one of your group is not quite right medically. This may be the first signs of altitude sickness and you could quite literally save a life by your intervention. Mosquitoes and MalariaMosquitoes do not tend to live above 2000m and so the risk of malaria while climbing Kilimanjaro does not occur. However, you have to get to that altitude first and so protection against mosquito bites and malaria prophylaxis will be essential for this trip. (Malaria protection - TMB) Rabies Risks in TanzaniaAny warm blooded animal can transmit rabies and so it is extremely important that you avoid any contact with dogs, cats, monkeys, and other animals on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro such as hyrats and other beaver like creatures. Report any contact immediately to your group leader. Vaccinations for visiting TanzaniaAs you travel to Tanzania from Western Europe we normally recommend that you have a number of vaccinations to cover against a range of diseases. In certain patients it may also be worth considering further vaccination cover against conditions like Rabies and Hepatitis B. These should be talked through in detail with your vaccinating doctor. After your visitWhen you return home you must remember that certain diseases can present days, weeks or even months afterwards. If you develop any peculiar symptoms (fever, headache, diarrhoea, skin rash etc) please make contact so this can be urgently assessed. In the vast majority of cases the traveller climbing Kilimanjaro will stay perfectly healthy and well providing they follow the main common sense rules. Have a great safe trip and enjoy some of the splendours that Africa has to provide.

Geneva, April 23, 2020 (AFP) - The new coronavirus pandemic could severely disrupt access to anti-malaria nets and drugs in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning that malaria deaths risked doubling if efforts are not urgently scaled up. The UN health agency called on countries in sub-Saharan Africa -- where nearly 95 percent of all the world's malaria cases and deaths occur -- to distribute malaria prevention and treatment tools now, before they become overwhelmed with novel coronavirus cases.

"Severe disruptions to insecticide-treated net campaigns and access to antimalarial medicines could lead to a doubling in the number of malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa this year compared to 2018," the WHO warned, citing new modelling analysis. The analysis, it said, considers nine scenarios for potential disruptions in access to core malaria control tools during the pandemic across 41 countries, and the resulting possible increases in cases and deaths.

Under the worst-case scenario, in which all campaigns to distribute insecticide-treated nets are suspended and there is a 75-percent reduction in access to effective antimalarial medicines, "the estimated tally of malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 would reach 769,000," WHO said. That is twice the number of deaths reported in the region in 2018, it stressed. "This would be the highest number of deaths seen in the region since the year 2000," WHO Africa director Matshidiso Moeti told journalists during a virtual briefing from Brazzaville. The hike would have particularly dire consequences for young children, with those under five making up more than two-thirds of all malaria deaths in 2018.

- 'Critical window' -WHO stressed that so far, sub-Saharan African countries had reported relatively few cases in the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 180,000 people globally and infected more than 2.6 million. But the agency, which has long warned that weak health systems in the region risked becoming seriously overwhelmed as cases increase, said the virus was picking up pace there. "This means that countries across the region have a critical window of opportunity to minimise disruptions in malaria prevention and treatment and save lives at this stage of the COVID-19 outbreak," it said. Not acting now could have serious repercussions, Moeti warned.

She pointed to the experience of tackling the Ebola crisis from 2014 to 2016, when more people died from diseases previously under control than from the epidemic. "Let us not repeat that with COVID-19," Moeti said. "I urge and encourage all countries to maintain malaria interventions in line with WHO recommendations to ensure that health workers and communities are protected."

In a separate statement Thursday, the WHO also reiterated its call to maintain immunisation services worldwide to ensure the measures taken to halt the pandemic do not end up sparking a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and polio. "While the world strives to develop a new vaccine for COVID-19 at record speed, we must not risk losing the fight to protect everyone, everywhere against vaccine-preventable diseases," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the statement. "These diseases will come roaring back if we do not vaccinate."

[Increased local transmission of malaria within any community will mean that tourists are at a heightened risk of contracting this disease.]

Dar es Salaam, March 31, 2020 (AFP) - Tanzania on Tuesday recorded its first death from coronavirus, a 49-year-old man who had underlying health issues, the health ministry said. The East African nation has reported cases since March 16, including foreign travellers and those with whom they have had contacts. One person has so far recovered. "I regret to announce the first death of coronavirus patient early this morning. The 49-year old man had other health complications," Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu said in a statement, without giving details. Tanzania has already shut all schools and universities in a bid to curb the disease, and from Tuesday parliament cut working hours and limited the number of MPs allowed in the debating chamber.

However while neighbouring countries have imposed lockdowns and urged people to stay home, President John Magufuli has played down the seriousness of the disease. "This is time to build our faith and continue praying to God and not depending on face masks. Don't stop going to churches and mosques for prayers. I'm sure this is just a change of wind and it will go like others have gone," Magufuli said at a church in Dodoma earlier this month. "There are too many threats being spread about corona but this is a small disease and we will beat it in the name of Jesus. I also ask Tanzanians to continue working hard," he added. His comment was criticised by other politicians who said Tanzania should actually consider closing churches and mosques to avoid spreading coronavirus. "Let's not argue with science," said opposition lawmaker Zitto Kabwe on Twitter.

A 44-year-old man was admitted to a public hospital (ICU Bisceglie, Barletta-Andria-Trani province, Apulia region, Italy) on 8 Oct 2019 with a suspected rabies infection. At the time of admission, he presented acute respiratory distress. Due to his deteriorating clinical conditions, he was transferred to the ICU of a tertiary hospital (ICU Policlinico, Bari, Italy), where he died of rabies on 19 Nov 2019, after a hospital stay of 42 days. Antemortem laboratory diagnostic tests for rabies performed at the National and FAO Reference Centre for Rabies, IZSVe (Padova, Italy) confirmed the initial suspicion based on the patient's clinical history.

The man had been bitten on his right hand by an aggressive dog on 8 Sep 2019 on the Island of Zanzibar (Tanzania). He immediately underwent post-exposure prophylaxis, which consisted of wound washing with an antiseptic solution (Betadine and hydrogen peroxide) and rabies vaccination in absence of rabies immunoglobulin administration. However, the patient was immunocompromised due to a corticosteroid therapy prescribed to treat an autoimmune disease and, unfortunately, such an important anamnesis went unnoticed until the onset of the symptoms.

Despite the internationally coordinated efforts to achieve a global goal of zero human dog-mediated rabies deaths by 2030, rabies still reaps human victims. In most cases, appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis [PEP] can safely prevent the infection in humans. However, shortages in rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) still represent the main constraint for human death prevention. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) makes administration of RIG unnecessary after a bite. In this particular case, PrEP and antibody titration of the victim before his travel might have saved his life. Of note, recent WHO recommendations reshape the PrEP protocol from 3 to 2 shots administered within one week (0-7). Moreover, we believe that enhanced awareness and information should be envisaged at different levels, and disseminated by travel health advisors, travel agents, and resorts or through official public health guidelines, similarly to those recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC-ATL, <https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/Tanzania>, paragraph "Keep away from animals" under "Stay Healthy and Safe").

--------------------------------

Lidia Dalfino, MD, Bari hospital

Sergio Carbonara, MD, Bisceglie hospital

Paola De Benedictis, DVM, PhD, FAO RC, IZSVe

===================

[Zanzibar island is a popular tourist destination in a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, located off the eastern coast of Africa. Its government has undertaken, with the support of NGOs, great efforts to control and eradicate canine rabies since the earlier decade of the century. This was done mainly by annual rabies vaccinations, leading to a significant decline in the number of clinically confirmed canine rabies cases. In 2015, the Zanzibar government felt close to officially declaring the island free from canine rabies but this goal was eventually not achieved. In October 2017, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) informed that The local authorities were "working hard towards ensuring a 70% vaccination coverage across the entire island within next 2 months" and that Zanzibar "is very close to being declared the 1st region in Africa to be free from rabies." (<https://rabiesalliance.org/news/towards-freedom-canine-mediated-rabies-zanzibar-island-wide-strategic-dog-vaccination>). This end, unfortunately, has not yet been reached, as tragically demonstrated by the case described above.

According to media reports, the victim, a businessman from the city of Andria in southern Italy, was visiting Kiwengwa beach, a resort area in the northeast of the island. "The family had arrived only a day earlier in Zanzibar and was on an excursion in the area when the animal attacked him. The animal was reportedly suffering from rabies and the wound was treated by local medics, which included it being disinfected at the local hospital."

According to the report above, for which the authors, Drs De Benedictis, Dalfino, and Carbonara are gratefully acknowledged, PEP was applied in Zanzibar but did not include rabies immunoglobulin. The victim continued with his holiday before returning to Italy. "He showed no signs of ill health for 2 weeks after returning, but then towards the end of September (2019), he started to feel unwell. Speaking to a friend before he died, he said the symptoms had included high blood pressure and spasms." The friend told local media: "The rabies [pre-exposure] vaccination was not something he had because it was only recommended, and was not listed as compulsory. An absurdity. [He] was very unlucky." (<https://ananova.news/tourist-bitten-by-rabid-stray-dog-in-zanzibar-dies>.)

The US CDC website provides pre-travel vaccination advice to "all travellers", "most travelers", and "some travellers". Rabies is one of the 5 vaccines which "some travelers" to Tanzania should be vaccinated with "after consulting their doctors." It is recommended for the following groups:

- Travellers involved in outdoor and other activities (such as camping, hiking, biking, adventure travel, and caving) that put them at risk for animal bites;

- people who will be working with or around animals (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, and researchers);

WHO's advice concerning pre-travel vaccination, for all destinations, fall in broad line with CDC's, while adding the following:

"Pre-exposure vaccination is also recommended for individuals travelling to isolated areas, or to areas where immediate access to appropriate medical care is limited, or to countries where modern rabies vaccines are in short supply and locally available rabies vaccines might be unsafe and/or ineffective." (<https://www.who.int/ith/vaccines/rabies/en/>).

Should immunocompromised travelers apply PrEP?

The availability of RIG at destination may influence such a decision. The advice of one's GP and/or travel medicine expert deserves to be sought in a timely fashion.

A report of previous cases of inadequate antibody response to rabies vaccine in an immunocompromised patient and a literature search revealing 15 additional immunocompromised patients, of whom 7 did not exhibit the minimum acceptable level of antibodies after a complete postexposure prophylaxis regimen, are available in ref 1 below.

Nairobi, Sept 28, 2019 (AFP) - A Canadian tourist died Saturday while parachuting from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak and Tanzania's top tourist attraction. Justin Kyllo, 51, was killed after his parachute failed to open, Tanzanian National Parks spokesman Pascal Shelutete said. Kyllo had arrived in the country on September 20, he said. Around 50,000 people climb the nearly 6,000-metre mountain, located near the northeastern frontier with Kenya, every year.

ProMED-mail reports since 14 Sep [2019] of a Tanzanian woman who died in Dar es Salaam on 8 Sep [2019] and was declared negative for Ebola by Tanzanian officials raises the question of what did cause her death. Given her travel to Uganda in August [2019], perhaps bat-associated Sosuga virus could be tested for if stored specimens exist. Similar to this young woman from Tanzania, the initial patient from the USA working in Uganda in 2012 in whom Sosuga virus was discovered had [experienced] fever, headache, rash, and diarrhoea (EID 2014; 20: 211-216). This virus was found from fruit bats in Uganda in 3 locations approximately 130 km [about 81 mi] apart (J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:774-779). An IgM and IgG test was developed at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and antiviral compounds active against this virus were reported in 2018.

Daniel R. Lucey MD, MPH

Consultant, ProMED

=======================

[The fatal case of a young Tanzanian woman studying in Uganda who died after travelling back to Tanzania for her field studies, as reported in ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20190914.6674377, continues to elude an aetiological diagnosis. The initial concern for Ebola infection has since effectively been ruled out (see http://promedmail.org/post/20190914.6674377), but outside observers have called for greater transparency and information sharing given widespread rumours surrounding this case and its potential public health implications for neighbouring countries as well as Tanzania itself (see http://promedmail.org/post/20190918.6680252).

As discussed by ProMED Mod.LK, the Ebola-like symptoms manifested in this case can be caused by other viral haemorrhagic fevers and a variety of other pathogens (see http://promedmail.org/post/20190914.6674377). ProMED thanks Dr. Lucey for raising the intriguing possibility of Sosuga virus in his letter. We continue to seek any additional information about this case, as well as alternative etiologic diagnoses and how they could be tested for.

Citations and URLs for the articles referenced by Dr. Lucey are as follows:

Guyana

Guyana US Consular Information SheetJune 09, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:Guyana is a developing nation on the north coast of South America. Tourist facilities are not developed, except for hotels in the capital city of Georgetown and a limi
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ed number of eco-resorts. The vast majority of Guyanese nationals live along the coast, leaving the interior largely unpopulated and undeveloped. Travel in the interior of Guyana can be difficult; many interior regions can only be reached by plane or boat and the limited roads are often impassable in the rainy seasons. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Guyana for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A valid U.S. passport is required for U.S. citizens to enter and depart Guyana. On arrival, Guyanese Immigration normally grants U.S. visitors a stay of up to 3 months. U.S.-Guyanese dual nationals may be granted an indefinite stay. Extensions of stay may be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs at 60 Brickdam Street, Georgetown. The Central Office of Immigration located on Camp Street, Georgetown, must note the extension in the visitor's passport. Travelers for purposes other than tourism should check with the Ministry of Home Affairs for information about requirements for work permits and extended stays. U.S.-Guyanese dual nationals departing Guyana for the United States using a Guyanese passport must present to Guyanese authorities a U.S. Certificate of Naturalization or other document establishing that they may legally enter the United States. For further information about entry, exit and customs requirements, travelers may consult the Embassy of Guyana at 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 265-6900, the Consulate General in New York, or honorary consuls in California, Florida, Ohio, and Texas. Visit the Embassy of Guyana web site at www.guyana.org for the most current visa information. Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Driving in Guyana can be particularly dangerous, with a significant number of accidents and road fatalities occurring. See the section below on “Traffic Safety and Road Conditions” for additional information. In the past, demonstrations and protests occasionally occurred in Georgetown; however, these are increasingly rare. Past demonstrations have not been directed at U.S. citizens and violence against Americans in general is not common. Visitors should nevertheless remain alert and take prudent personal security measures to deal with the unexpected while in Guyana. It is advisable to avoid areas where crowds have congregated and to maintain a low profile when moving about Georgetown and other Guyanese cities. Most major eco-tourist resorts and hotels in Guyana do not have written emergency plans in place, and many of them have safety deficiencies, including a lack of easily identifiable lifeguards or no lifeguards at all. Many of these resorts also do not have adequately stocked first aid supplies. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution, can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME: Serious crime, including murder and home invasion, continues to be a major problem; the murder rate in Guyana is three times higher than the murder rate in the United States. In early 2008, an attack in the Georgetown suburb of Lusignan and in the Essequibo River town of Bartica by heavily armed gangs resulted in the deaths of more than 20 persons, mostly innocent Guyanese civilians. An investigation into these attacks is continuing, but most of the perpetrators are still at large. In addition, there have been several instances of random shootings at night at police headquarters or police stations in Georgetown. U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, consider security issues when planning activities throughout Guyana, minimize movement when possible, and avoid traveling at night, when possible.

Armed robberies continue to rise, especially in major business and shopping districts. Hotel room strong-arm break-ins are also increasing, so travelers should use caution when opening their hotel room doors and should safeguard valuables left in hotel rooms. Criminals may act brazenly, and police officers themselves have been the victims of assaults and shootings. Vehicle occupants should keep their doors locked and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Robbery and theft occur with some frequency in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. U.S. citizens should avoid stopping in or traveling through the village of Buxton, which lies along the road between Georgetown and New Amsterdam, and Agricola, which is located on the East Bank highway. The Department of State recommends that Embassy staff using the public golf course at Lusignan, next to Buxton, do so in groups and only during daylight hours. Pickpocketing, purse snatching by thieves on bicycles, assault, and theft can occur in all areas of Georgetown. The areas adjacent to the sea wall and the National Park in Georgetown, although frequented by joggers, dogwalkers, and families are generally considered safe during daylight hours, have been the scenes of crimes in the past. Travelers should exercise extra care when visiting these areas after dusk. Pickpockets and thieves also frequent Stabroek and Bourda, the two major markets, and great care should be taken to safeguard personal property when shopping in these markets. U.S. passports and permanent residency cards are prized by thieves as they may be used for smuggling and identity theft. There have been numerous incidents of piracy in recent months in and around the waters of Guyana. Mariners are advised to be vigilant and take appropriate precautions. Travelers should avoid walking alone around Georgetown, even in the main areas and especially at night. Although bandits have been known to attack taxis, they are generally safe and remain the safest means of getting about town and to and from the airport for visitors. Only taxis from reputable companies should be used. Exercise constant vigilance. Do not dress ostentatiously, as there have also been reports of gold chains or other jewelry being snatched off of pedestrians. The response of local law-enforcement authorities to the increase in violent crime has been largely ineffectual; the police are cooperative but lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. Nevertheless, Americans who are victims of crime are encouraged to contact the police as well as the American Citizens Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy's Consular Section.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you in finding appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds may be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime are solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.See our information on Victims of Crime.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical care is available for minor medical conditions. Emergency care and hospitalization for major medical illnesses or surgery are limited, due to a lack of appropriately trained specialists, below standard in-hospital care, and poor sanitation. Ambulance service is limited to transportation without any medical care and is frequently not available for emergencies. An MRI (linked to the United States for interpretation) has been installed and is operational, but results may take up to 4 days. Visitors are advised to bring prescription medicine sufficient for their length of stay and should be aware that Guyana's humid climate may affect some medicines. Some prescription medicines (mainly generic rather than name-brand) are available. Special attention should be paid to HIV/AIDS in Guyana. In addition to infection rates as high as 45% in high-risk populations such as commercial sex workers and mobile populations such as miners or loggers, data from the World Health Organization estimate that 1.6% of the general population is infected with HIV; this is among the highest prevalence rates in Latin America and the Caribbean. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en.

MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Guyana is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.In 2007, road fatalities increased more than 40% from the previous year. The rate of traffic accident fatalities in Guyana is 70% higher than in the United States. The Traffic Division of Guyana's National Police Force is responsible for road safety but is ill-trained and ill-equipped. Driving in Guyana is hazardous because of very poor road surfaces; farm animals sleeping or wandering on the roads; pedestrians walking on the road; and poor driving habits, including speeding, reckless driving, tailgating, cell phone use, quick stops without signaling, failure to dim headlights, and weaving in and out of traffic. Traffic lights installed in Georgetown are often ignored or simply flash, posing a risk to drivers and pedestrians. Visitors should exercise caution at all times while driving and avoid driving at night, when possible. The Department of State recommends that Embassy staff travel in groups of two or more vehicles when traveling outside Georgetown at night. Travelers are advised to use caution traveling to and from Cheddi Jagan International Airport, especially at night. The Embassy requires its staff to use official vehicles when traveling this route between dusk and dawn due to a combination of most of the aforementioned characteristics of driving in Guyana.Penalties for drivers involved in an accident resulting in injury or death are severe, including life imprisonment. If involved in an accident, call 911 for police and 913 for an ambulance. Please note that police may be slow to respond and an ambulance may not be available. Drivers use the left side of the road in Guyana. Seatbelt use is required by law and is enforced; failure to use a seatbelt can result in a fine. There presently are no laws in Guyana concerning use of child car seats, but the use of age-appropriate seats is strongly recommended for child passengers. Both drivers and passengers on motorcycles must wear protective helmets that meet certain specifications. Mini-buses (small 12- to 15-passenger vans) ply various routes both within and between cities. Mini-bus drivers have come under severe criticism from the government, press, and private citizens for speeding, aggressive and reckless driving, overloading of vehicles, poor vehicle maintenance and repair, and offensive remarks directed at passengers, but little change in their driving behavior has been noted. Mini-buses have been involved in the majority of fatal vehicular accidents in recent years.Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the web site of the country’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Guyana’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Guyana’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:Air Travel: Flights on all airlines can be delayed, rerouted, or canceled without notice. Air travel within Guyana generally depends on demand. Flights that are not full may be canceled or passengers may be expected to pay for the empty seats. Travelers to the United States from Guyana have found narcotics planted in their luggage, both in bags registered under their names and in items they were carrying for others. Travelers should not carry any items they did not purchase and pack themselves and should take care that no additional bags are registered in their names. Travelers should hand carry medications, valuables, and perishable items. Flooding: The coastal plain, which occupies about 5% of the country's area, is home to more than 90% of its inhabitants. The plain extends from the Corentyne River in the east to the Venezuelan border in the northwest. This coastal plain was created through the polder system, a technique that dams and then drains a water-covered area. The polder system consists of a front dam (the sea wall along the east coast) and a back dam (the freshwater conservancy) that is approximately 5 to 6 kilometers inland from the sea wall. The system is in a fragile state due to a chronic lack of maintenance. In addition, a dozen major drainage canals run from the base of the dam to the Atlantic Ocean across the polder itself. These main canals are, in turn, fed by literally thousands of lateral canals that run along both sides of almost every street and road. Seasonal rains (December-January and May-July), combined with the lack of maintenance and improper new construction, led to significant flooding in Greater Georgetown and along the East Coast in January 2005 and in the Mahaica-Mahaicony Abrary area, Canals 1 and 2, on the West Coast Demerara and the Pomeroon River catchment area in January 2006. Drinking Water: An inadequate garbage removal system has resulted in illegal residential and commercial dumping on the roadside and into the drainage system. Decaying animal carcasses are periodically discovered in the intake canals for the Georgetown water supply. The water supply system throughout the country should be considered contaminated and travelers should treat or boil water before consumption, or purchase bottled water.Changing Currency and Credit Card Use: Travelers should have enough cash or travelers checks to meet their expenses. With few exceptions, credit cards and ATM cards should not be used to withdraw cash from an overseas account, due to a high risk of stolen PIN data. Although credit cards are accepted at certain institutions in Georgetown, travelers should be careful when using them and check their receipts and statements to ensure that additional unauthorized purchases have not been made to their card. American citizens are advised to exchange currency only with banks, hotels, and licensed money exchange houses (“cambios”). Many foreigners who opt to exchange money on the streets, lured by promises of higher exchange rates, become victims of fraud or receive counterfeit currency. Foreigners have been mugged after completing bank transactions. There is no legal recourse unless the police are successful in apprehending the perpetrator; even then there is no guarantee that the money will be recovered. Firearms: Guyanese customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Guyana of items such as firearms. If you plan to take your firearms or ammunition to or through Guyana, you should contact officials at the Embassy of Guyana to learn about its regulations and fully comply with those regulations before traveling. You may consult http://www.customs.gov for information on importing firearms into the United States.Wildlife: Many plants and animals common in Guyana are globally threatened or endangered species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES at www.cites.org). The Guyanese Ministry of Agriculture will grant an export permit for taking an exotic bird out of the country only to those persons who have been legally residing in Guyana for more than one year. There have been several U.S. citizens arrested for attempting to leave Guyana carrying birds without having obtained an export permit. Americans who have legally resided in Guyana for more than a year and who would like to take back to the United States any birds or animals, including pets, that are listed in CITES Appendices I, II, and III, must also have an appropriate U.S. import permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This is a U.S. regulation that applies regardless of distinctions among the three CITES Appendices. Individuals can obtain fact sheets and permit applications from the USFWS Office of Management Authority, Branch of Permits, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203, telephone (703) 358-2104, fax (703) 358-2281, http://www.fws.gov/permits/.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Guyanese laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Guyana are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Possession of unlicensed guns can result in fines and imprisonment. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime in Guyana and also prosecutable in the United States.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Guyana are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Guyana. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at 100 Young and Duke Streets, telephone 011-592-225-4900 through 225-4909, fax 011-592-225-8497, web site http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, except local and U.S. holidays. For emergencies after hours, on weekends and on holidays, U.S. citizens are requested to call the U.S. Embassy duty officer at 011-592-623-1992.* * *This replaces the Country Specific Information dated November 21, 2007, to reflect changes to Safety and Security, Crime, and Wildlife.

The mystery illness, which was erroneously assumed to be H1N1 (swine flu) and as leptospirosis in 2 cases, affecting employees working in the Guyana Manganese Inc. tunnel in Matthew's Ridge, Region One, Barima-Waini has finally been determined to be histoplasmosis, an infection by a fungus found in the droppings of birds, bats and rats in humid areas. [Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus _Histoplasma capsulatum_ that lives in soil enriched by bird or bat, not rat, droppings. - ProMED Mod.ML]

This was confirmed when the Ministry of Public Health held a press conference yesterday [15 Apr 2019] in its Mental Health Unit Boardroom to provide an update on the recent outbreak and related issues.

Samples were collected from all patients, and initially some testing was done at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL). Further samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency Laboratory (CARPHA) in Trinidad for confirmation.

The results initially were negative for influenza A and B inclusive of H1N1, chikungunya, Zika and dengue. All patients underwent malaria tests in Matthews Ridge, and they were also negative.

Relating the developments sequentially, the CMO said that the 1st 4 cases were reported on 28 Mar [2019]; one died while receiving care at Pakera District Hospital in Region One. The following day, 4 more were brought in to Pakera District Hospital complaining of similar symptoms (fever, headaches, joint pains, mild shortness of breath). Subsequently, the 7 Chinese workers were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

An additional 6 employees, including one Guyanese, were attended to at the Port Kaituma Hospital but later transferred to the GPHC. One of the 6 persons visited the hospital on his own. He was evaluated but not admitted.

Once the cases were reported, several teams visited the site from the regional level. The teams included the Regional Health Officer and the Regional Environmental Health Officer, along with some supporting medical staff.

"In the initial stage, we weren't sure what we were dealing with, but since it was a febrile illness with respiratory symptoms, we took all the necessary precautions to restrict access to both the site and the hospital where the patients were being kept. The additional staffers that were sent to the region set up a temporary facility at the community centre in Matthews Ridge where they were seeing the regular patients," the CMO recounted. "Following the transfer of the patients on 3 Apr [2019], they cleaned up the Pakera District Hospital and closed down the temporary sites. Work resumed as normal at the hospital for Maternal Child Health and other services."

"Two persons are dead; one died at Pakera District Hospital and one at GPHC. Of those admitted at the GPHC, 2 were discharged. An additional person was discharged from Pakera District Hospital. Ten workers were transferred to China on Mon 9 Apr [2019]. 16 Chinese workers were under care and treatment. Following the transfer, 2 more were admitted to Pakera Hospital bringing it to a total of 18."

Blood, sputum and urine samples were collected from those that were under care, while tissue samples were collected during the post mortem from the 2 deceased. Testing for these samples was done locally at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), and confirmation was done at Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad.

"All tests were negative for influenza A & B, dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Even though [it was] reported we had 2 positive for leptospirosis, according to the NPHRL, those were later found negative through confirmation from CARPHA. On the weekend of 7 Apr [2019], a team was flown in to Matthews Ridge. The team included officers from the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health, and they did an evaluation of the work site and looked at some of the risk factors relating to the environment. A community meeting was also held with residents," Dr. Persaud said.

It was disclosed that from 8-10 Apr [2019], 2 consultants from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) along with the Chief Medical Officer and a team from the Ministry of Public Health visited the area. A team of 9 officers from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), China was also part of the visiting team. "During the visit, the team met with the hospital staff. We reviewed their procedures for infectious disease control and prevention, and we met with company officials. Interviews were conducted with the persons who were working in the mine." A total of 23 Chinese workers were interviewed. They were working in the 4 different tunnels.

The CMO continued: "On 10 Apr [2019], we received word from CARPHA that 5 samples were tested for histoplasmosis; 4 were positive. The Chinese CDC tested an additional 6 persons, and 5 were positive for histoplasmosis. One person tested showed weak positive hantavirus, but this may have been because of a past exposure to that germ. "Currently, we are monitoring persons at Matthews Ridge. During the last 2 days, 2 persons developed fever, and they were admitted to Pakera District Hospital and are under close observation and treatment for hantavirus, which is a fungal infection. [Hantavirus infection is a viral, not fungal infection. - Mod.ML] We also took samples from them, and they are presently being processed for shipment to CARPHA."

Meanwhile, the absence of safety gear for workers was highlighted. Interviews were done with employees who had not developed any illness. And this revealed the shortcomings. Officials were told that the safety gear was in the country but was not on site. They had not cleared customs at the wharf at that time. However, that claim was never confirmed. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Consultant Gwyneth King said, "Our information to date is that the workers were not wearing [any] personal safety gear. That is to say that they were not wearing respirators, so they were exposed to breathing in the fungus. If you have to do a job like that, you need to wear personal safety gear; otherwise, you could expose yourself."

King said that officials will be working within the confines of the Occupational Safety and Health Act to see what action, if any, can be taken against the company for this major inadequacy. However, they are only now going through their findings and preparing the report.

=====================

[As I assumed in my ProMED moderator comments in the last ProMED-mail post on this outbreak, the cause of the acute respiratory illness in workers in manganese mine tunnels in Guyana is apparently histoplasmosis.

We were initially told (ProMED-mail post (Undiagnosed resp. illness - Guyana: (Barima-Waini) manganese mine, fatal, RFI http://promedmail.org/post/20190401.6396933) that workers at a manganese mining company in Guyana, owned by a subsidiary of Chinese company Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Company Limited, developed what was said to be an influenza-like illness with "respiratory discomfort, rash, and high-grade fever." More than a dozen miners were affected, and 2 of the workers died. Post-mortem examinations on the 2 dead miners initially were said to have "revealed that they died from haemorrhagic pneumonia as a result of leptospirosis;" we now learn the diagnosis of leptospirosis was erroneous.

Initially, we were told that all infected persons were exposed to one common area, without evidence of person-to-person transmission (that is, presumably there were no secondary cases), but we were not told what that common area was. We were subsequently told the common area is the "Matthews Ridge tunnel site."

Manganese mines are usually open pits, which are subject to flooding that could lead to exposure to leptospirosis if there is also rat infestation. However, tunnels could be infested with bats and their guano, which would place mine workers at risk for histoplasmosis, a fungal pulmonary infection that follows unprotected inhalation of large inocula of _Histoplasma capsulatum_ spores. The fungus lives in soil fertilized by bird or bat droppings. Contaminated soil can remain potentially infectious for years. Microconidia spores become airborne when the contaminated soil is disturbed, for example, by digging in contaminated soil. Most infected individuals remain asymptomatic. Symptomatic illness is primarily caused by an intense exposure, and the severity of disease is related to the number of spores inhaled.

Histoplasmosis cannot be transmitted from person to person or from animals to people. The diagnosis can be made by culture of the organism from sputum or tissues, by serology, or by tests for antigen in urine and serum specimens. For treatment guidelines, see Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Histoplasmosis: 2007 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2007; 45(7): 807-25. Available at <http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/7/807.full>. - ProMED Mod.ML]

Health officials in Guyana have reported a leptospirosis outbreak among Guyana Manganese Inc. (GMI) workers on [Fri 5 Apr 2019]. According to authorities, 2 Chinese nationals have been treated and released, while another mining employee, who was also tested positive for leptospirosis, is in "critical but stable condition".

One individual died from complications associated with leptospirosis on [Wed 3 Apr 2019] night while undergoing treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud said that "all precautionary measures are still in place at the Matthews Ridge tunnel site and immediate surroundings and essential medical supplies are in stock to treat employees of the mining firm and residents of the area.

Since last week's outbreak, the area has been deemed a 'Red Zone' by Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) authorities and "no one is allowed to enter the site," Dr. Persaud reminded on [Thu 4 Apr 2019].

Public health officials have ruled out swine flu (H1N1), Zika, Chikungunya, dengue, and influenza A and B as possible causes of the recent spate of illnesses and death in Matthew's Ridge. Thus far, there has been no evidence of person-to-person transmission of infection. It is noted that only persons who were directly exposed to one common area became ill.

As of Sunday, 31 Mar [2019], a response team comprising the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Surveillance, EH, doctors, and nurses were dispatched to region 1 to support the efforts taken in theregion to address the illnesses. The fortified health response focuses on providing uninterrupted health services to the residents of Matthew's Ridge, as well as on conducting health assessments of all persons working in the mining area.

The decision was taken to transfer all the patients with the acute respiratory illness, rash, and fever to our tertiary institution, the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where critical care can be provided should the need arise. While the specialists continue to work on the 7 patients admitted on Saturday [30 Mar 2019], results have shown that 2 patients tested positive for leptospirosis, which is known to be spread by direct contact with rat urine or faeces. Further tests are being conducted locally, and samples will be sent overseas with support from PAHO and CARPHA to get further tests done to rule out other possible infections.

The Public Health Ministry is taking all necessary precautions to ensure staff and members of the community at Matthew's Ridge are kept safe.

The mining company has been instructed to halt further exploration until the ministry and a team from the Occupational Health and Safety department of the Ministry of Social Protection can advise further. The Ministry of Public Health, along with partners, will continue to monitor the situation closely until resolution.

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[Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus _Leptospira_. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for other diseases. Some infected persons, however, may have no symptoms at all.

Without treatment, leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death (<https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html>).

Leptospirosis occurs worldwide but is most common in temperate or tropical climates. It is an occupational hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals, such as farmers, mine workers, sewer workers, slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians and animal caretakers, fish workers, dairy farmers, and military personnel. The disease has also been associated with swimming, wading, kayaking, and rafting in contaminated lakes and rivers. As such, it is a recreational hazard for campers or those who participate in outdoor sports. The risk is likely greater for those who participate in these activities in tropical or temperate climates.

According to the above report, appropriate public health measures are being taken to contain the above "outbreak" and confirm any new cases as early as possible. - ProMED Mod.UBA]

[We were told in the initial ProMED-mail post (Undiagnosed resp. illness - Guyana: (Barima-Waini) manganese mine, fatal, RFI http://promedmail.org/post/20190401.6396933) that 8 individuals working at a manganese mining company in Guyana, owned by a subsidiary of Chinese company Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Company Limited, developed what was said to be an influenza-like illness with "respiratory discomfort, rash, and high-grade fever." One of the individuals died.

A subsequent update from Guyana Department of Public Information (above) says that swine flu (H1N1), Zika, chikungunya, dengue, and influenza A and B have been ruled out as possible causes of this outbreak, although 2 patients tested positive for leptospirosis, without specifying what tests were done to make that determination. All infected persons are said to have been exposed to one common area, without evidence of person-to-person transmission (that is, presumably there are no secondary cases), but we are not told what that common area is.

The clinical presentation of leptospirosis is frequently nonspecific, with fever, headache, and myalgias. Patients often have a dry cough, which is usually mild and without any sequelae, that accompanies the other symptoms. Severe leptospirosis, known as Weil's disease, is characterized by liver damage (causing jaundice), renal failure, and bleeding. Meningoencephalitis and myocarditis may also be present. However, pulmonary involvement, which manifests itself as pulmonary hemorrhage, can be severe, with massive hemoptysis, respiratory insufficiency, and death (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3519021/>). The diagnosis of leptospirosis can be made by PCR assays during the acute illness and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for the detection of _Leptospira_-specific IgM antibodies. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT), which detects antibodies to specific serovars using several reference strains, confirms the diagnosis.

Respiratory illness claims the life of one worker in Georgetown (Guyana)
Disease Respiratory Disease Guyana
- 1 year ago

One of several afflicted manganese workers is now dead, after exhibiting symptoms of a viral influenza, yesterday [30 Mar 2019]. The other 7, who are also Chinese nationals, are currently being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

A team of medical personnel was deployed to Matthews Ridge [Barima-Waini region] yesterday, from the Mabaruma Hospital after the members received these reports.

The 7 men were airlifted to Eugene F Correia International Airport, Ogle, and transported to GPHC for treatment.

A medical practitioner on the team informed this publication that the team has been extremely cautious, both, in its transport of the patients and with the level of care they're currently receiving.

This publication was informed that 2 floors of the Male Medical Ward of GPHC were cleared and restricted yesterday, to quarantine the victims of the undetermined illness.

The 7 workers had initially been taken to Pakera Hospital, Matthews Ridge, for treatment.

The medical personnel at the hospital have been running a battery of tests. Further testing is expected to be done to ascertain the exact nature of the illness. One doctor involved has dismissed speculation that swine flu [influenza A(H1N1)] is the cause of the symptoms.

The workers were reportedly stationed at a manganese mine owned by Guyana Manganese Inc. (GMI), a subsidiary of Chinese company, Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Company Limited, when they began showing signs of respiratory discomfort, rash, and [high grade fever].

Just [Fri 29 Mar 2019], Ministers of Natural Resources and Public Affairs, Raphael Trotman, and Dawn Hastings-Williams, visited the mine to inspect it, since operations there are expected to restart soon.

To date, 113 Guyanese and 23 expatriates have already been employed with GMI.

According to health officials, they are up on the alert for measles and immunisable diseases.

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[According to the report above, the clinical presentation of the cases includes high grade fever with a rash and respiratory symptoms. The report mentions 8 workers who developed symptoms but does not provide information on epidemiological factors such as whether the workers lived in close proximity prior to developing symptoms, any travel history or new arrivals to the mine, or any co-morbid conditions. Detection of the responsible pathogen or toxin is necessary to provide appropriate treatment and to protect the other workers. Any further information in this regard will be highly appreciated. - ProMED Mod.UBA]

Residents of Wakapoa, in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), suspect that there is a typhoid outbreak in the community, where the absence of medical professionals and drugs at the community health centre has become the norm. At least 8 people from the village have been reported as having typhoid.

A resident sought to highlight the plight of those in her village in a recent Facebook post by calling on those in authority to look into the matter. "Hello my friends, with a feeling of anxiety and frustration I reach out to you this evening to ask if anyone can refer me to the relevant authorities for help for the folks of Wakapoa. Presently, there seems to be an outbreak of typhoid in my community! With 6 people from my family already sick and in need of treatment!! There's no doctor or medex at our health centre and it is apparent we do not have any treatment here right now... 4 members in my family [are] presently at Suddie Hospital talking treatment... But it is very expensive to travel to that hospital and the required tests are also expensive," she wrote, while asking for assistance to notify the Public Health Minister and other organizations that could help the community.

======================

[Typhoid fever, so-called enteric fever caused by _Salmonella enterica_ serotype Typhi, often has a totally different presentation from that of the commoner kinds of salmonellosis. Epidemiologically, usually spread by contaminated food or water, typhoid is not a zoonosis like the more common types of salmonellosis. Clinically, vomiting and diarrhoea are typically absent; indeed, constipation is frequently reported. As it is a systemic illness, blood cultures are at least as likely to be positive as stool in enteric fever, particularly early in the course of the infection, and bone marrow cultures may be the most sensitive.

The symptoms of classical typhoid fever typically include fever, anorexia, lethargy, malaise, dull continuous headache, non-productive cough, vague abdominal pain, and constipation. Despite the frequently high fever, the pulse is often only slightly elevated. During the 2nd week of the illness, there is protracted fever and mental dullness, classically called coma vigil. Diarrhoea may develop but usually does not. Many patients develop hepatosplenomegaly [both liver and spleen enlarged]. After the 1st week or so, many cases develop a maculopapular rash on the upper abdomen. These lesions ("rose spots") are about 2 cm [0.78 in] in diameter and blanch on pressure. They persist for 2-4 days and may come and go. Mild and atypical infections are common.

The word typhoid (as in typhus-like) reflects the similarity of the louse-borne rickettsial disease epidemic typhus and that of typhoid fever; in fact, in some areas, typhoid fever is still referred to as abdominal typhus.

Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region 2) is a region in Guyana, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the north, the region of Essequibo Islands-West Demerara to the east, the region of Cuyuni-Mazaruni to the south and the region of Barima-Waini to the west. Pomeroon-Supenaam contains the towns of Anna Regina, Charity, Pickersgill, Spring Garden and Suddie. It can be seen on a map of the country at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomeroon-Supenaam>. - ProMED Mod.LL]

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea - US Consular Information sheetOctober 17, 2008 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:Papua New Guinea is a developing country in the Southwest Pacific. The capital is Port Moresby. Tourist facilities outside major towns are limited. Crim
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is a serious concern throughout Papua New Guinea (please see the section on crime below). Read the Department of State Background Notes on Papua New Guinea for additional information. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Travelers must possess a valid passport, onward/return airline ticket, and proof of sufficient funds for the intended visit. Travelers may obtain business or tourist visas (valid for stays of up to 60 days, with extensions available for an additional 30 days) upon arrival at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby. All persons boarding international flights originating from Papua New Guinea pay a departure fee, which should be included in airline fares. Travelers may obtain more information on entry and exit requirements from the Embassy of Papua New Guinea, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009, tel. 202-745-3680, fax 202-745-3679, e-mail kunduwash@aol.com, or via the Papua New Guinea Embassy web site at http://www.pngembassy.org/ Travelers who plan to transit or visit Australia must enter with an Australian visa or, if eligible, an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). The ETA replaces a visa and allows a stay of up to three months. It may be obtained for a small service fee at http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/. Airlines and many travel agents in the United States are also able to issue ETA’s. Travelers may obtain more information about Australian entry requirements from the Australian Embassy at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, tel. 202-797-3000, or via the Australian Embassy's web site at http://www.austemb.org/.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found. Civil Unrest/Political Tension: Tension between communal or clan groups, particularly in the Highlands region, occasionally leads to outbreaks of tribal fighting, often involving the use of firearms. Travelers should consult with their tour operator, the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, or with Papua New Guinean authorities before visiting the region.

Visitors intending to travel to the autonomous region of Bougainville Island should contact the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby for updated security information. Bougainville Island is not peaceful, law enforcement is weak, and tourist and transportation facilities are limited. We advise travelers to Bougainville, as in other parts of Papua New Guinea, to exercise a high degree of caution. Areas near the Panguna mine, located on the southern part of the Island of Bougainville, have been officially designated “no go zones” by the Autonomous Government of Bougainville; Americans should avoid those areas. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures that travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad. CRIME: Papua New Guinea has a high crime rate. Numerous U.S. citizen residents and visitors have been victims of violent crime in recent years, and they have sometimes suffered severe injuries. Carjackings, armed robberies, and stoning of vehicles are problems in and around major cities such as Port Moresby, Lae, Mount Hagen, and Goroka, but can happen anywhere. Pickpockets and bag-snatchers frequent crowded public areas. Hiking or other travel in rural areas and visiting isolated public sites such as parks, golf courses, beaches, or cemeteries can be dangerous. Individuals traveling alone are at greater risk for robbery or gang rape than are those who are part of an organized tour or under escort. Visitors to Papua New Guinea should avoid using taxis or buses, known as Public Motor Vehicles (PMV's), and should instead rely on their sponsor or hotel to arrange for taxi service or a rental car. Road travel outside of major towns can be hazardous because criminals set up roadblocks near bridges, curves in the road, or other features that restrict vehicle speed and mobility. Visitors should consult with the U.S. Embassy or with local law enforcement officials concerning security conditions before driving between towns. (See also Traffic Safety and Road Conditions below). Travel to isolated places in Papua New Guinea is possible primarily by small passenger aircraft; there are many small airstrips throughout the country. Security measures at these airports are rare. Organized tours booked through travel agencies remain the safest means to visit attractions in Papua New Guinea. The Embassy recommends that prospective visitors consult a Primer on Personal Security for Visitors to Papua New Guinea at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1757.html Kokoda Track: Americans should exercise a high degree of caution when walking the Kokoda Track and traveling through the areas adjacent to each end of the track. Travelers should travel with guides from a reputable tour company. This is particularly important given occasional threats by villagers to close parts of the track because of local land and compensation disputes. Trekkers should ensure that their tour company provides a permit in return for fees paid for this purpose. The Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) has stationed rangers along the track and at airports to collect fees from trekkers who have not obtained a valid trekking permit. The KTA can be contacted on telephone (675) 325 6165 regarding payment of the applicable fee. INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. The embassy/consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds may be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney, if needed. The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Papua New Guinea is: 000See our information on Victims of Crime. MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical facilities in Papua New Guinea vary from hospitals in Port Moresby and the larger towns to aid posts (including some missionary stations) in remote areas. Medical facilities vary in quality, but those in the larger towns are usually adequate for routine problems and some emergencies. However, equipment failures and sudden shortages of common medications can mean that even routine treatments and procedures (such as X-rays) may become unavailable. A hyperbaric recompression chamber for diving emergencies is available in Port Moresby. Pharmacies in Papua New Guinea are found only in urban centers and at missionary clinics. They are small and may be inadequately stocked. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for medical services. Medical conditions arising as a result of diving accidents will almost always require medical evacuation to Australia, where more sophisticated facilities are available. Medical evacuation companies could charge thousands of dollars to transport a victim to Australia or the U.S. A last-minute, one-way commercial ticket from Port Moresby to Brisbane or Cairns costs upwards of US$250 for economy class and upwards of US$550 for business class. The most commonly used facilities are in Brisbane and Cairns, both in the Australian State of Queensland. Travelers who anticipate the possible need for medical treatment in Australia should obtain entry permission for Australia in advance. Entry permission for Australia can be granted by the Australian Embassy in Port Moresby, but it is easier to obtain it prior to leaving the United States (see section above on Entry/Exit Requirements). The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Papua New Guinea. The Government of Papua New Guinea does not currently have any policy guidelines that prevent entry into the country by short- and long-term travelers and/or residents.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Papua New Guinea is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. Traffic in Papua New Guinea moves on the left. Travel on highways outside of major towns can be hazardous. Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of serious injury in Papua New Guinea, especially when passengers are sitting in the open bed of a pickup truck. Drivers and passengers are advised to wear seatbelts. There is no countrywide road network. Roads are generally in poor repair, and flat tires occur routinely as a result of potholes and debris on the roadways. During the rainy season landslides can be a problem on some stretches of the Highlands Highway between Lae and Mount Hagen. Criminal roadblocks have occurred during the day and more widely after dark on the Highlands Highway. Visitors should consult with local authorities or the U.S. Embassy before traveling on the Highlands Highway. Crowds can react emotionally and violently after road accidents. Crowds form quickly after an accident and may attack those whom they hold responsible, stoning and/or burning their vehicles. Friends and relatives of an injured party may demand immediate compensation from the party they hold responsible for injuries, regardless of legal responsibility. Persons involved in accidents usually should proceed directly to the nearest police station rather than stop at the scene of the accident. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of Papua New Guinea’s national tourism office and national authority responsible for road safety. For specific information concerning Papua New Guinea driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact Papua New Guinea’s Tourist Promotion Authority via the Internet at http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/. AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Papua New Guinea, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Papua New Guinea’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Customs: Papua New Guinean and Australian customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Papua New Guinea and Australia of items such as firearms, certain prescription drugs, wooden artifacts, exotic animals, food, and sexually explicit material. Other products may be subject to quarantine. It is advisable to contact the Embassies of Papua New Guinea and Australia in Washington, D.C. for specific information regarding each country’s customs requirements. (See the contact information in the section on Entry/Exit Requirements above.) Natural Disasters: Papua New Guinea is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and sudden tidal movements. There are numerous active volcanoes throughout Papua New Guinea. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/. Documentation: U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times, so that if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and U.S. citizenship is readily available.

Please see our Customs Information. CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offences. Persons violating Papua New Guinea‘s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession or use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Papua New Guinea are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Homosexual activity is illegal in Papua New Guinea. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties. CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction. REGISTRATION / EMBASSY AND CONSULATE LOCATIONS: Americans living or traveling in Papua New Guinea are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Embassy website is http://portmoresby.usembassy.gov. Americans without Internet access may register directly at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby and obtain updated information on travel and security within Papua New Guinea. The U.S. Embassy is located on Douglas Street, adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. That address should be used for courier deliveries. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, NCD 121, Papua New Guinea. The Embassy's telephone number is (675) 321-1455; after hour’s duty officer telephone number is (675-601-9689); fax (675) 321-1593. Americans may submit consular inquiries by e-mail to ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov****This replaces the Country Specific Information for Papua New Guinea dated July 18, 2008 to update the section on Safety and Security.

Sydney, Feb 9, 2020 (AFP) - A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake hit just after 4pm local time (0600GMT) at a depth of 31 kilometres (19 miles) some 122 kilometres (75 miles) south of Kokopo, the capital of PNG's East New Britain province, the USGS said.

Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Trevor Allen said coastal communities near the epicentre would have felt "quite strong ground shaking" as the tremblor was close to the shore. But, he said, the area was relatively sparsely populated and flexible building design locally helped limit exposure to damage from quakes. "The East New Britain region is one of the most seismically active regions in the world and would generally tend to get an earthquake of this size once or twice a year," he told AFP.

Miriam Koikoi, a receptionist at Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, told AFP the shaking was "not that big" and she had not seen any signs of damage. PNG sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which is a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates. Its mountainous and remote terrain means it often takes several days for information about damage from quakes to reach officials and aid agencies.

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Department of Health has confirmed 2 positive cases of measles on 22 Dec 2019 by laboratory test performed at our Central Public Health laboratory here in Port Moresby. Two of the positive cases are from the Gulf and New Ireland provinces, respectively. The suspected cases were detected through our heightened surveillance system due to the current measles outbreaks within our region.

In 2019, over a million children under 5 years were vaccinated; that is more than 95% of the national targeted population. However, because of the history of low immunization coverage in PNG, this could result in possible outbreaks of measles within PNG.

I urge the general public not to panic; we are working in close collaboration with the provinces. It is still uncertain if there are more measles cases in the communities, but we're taking all necessary measures to ensure the situation remains under control. New Ireland and Gulf provinces have already responded by sending out teams to investigate and carry out preventative measures including vaccination to targeted age-groups to control the situation.

The Department of Health acknowledges the support of the New Irelands Provincial Health Authority, Gulf Provincial Health Authority & Oil Search Foundation for assisting in the investigation of the suspected cases. The Oil Search Foundation assisted Gulf Provincial Health Authority with logistics, technical team support in terms of providing chopper, a medical team for the initial investigation, sample collection and shipment to the laboratory.

Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, Oct 1, 2019 (AFP) - Papua New Guinea's volatile Ulawun volcano erupted early Tuesday, sending a column of red lava shooting up into the sky and forcing the evacuation of recently returned residents. Mount Ulawun, situated on the remote Bismarck Archipelago chain, displaced between 7,000 and 13,000 people from their homes when it last erupted in June. Seismic activity started at midday on Monday before the volcano erupted at about 4:30am Tuesday, according to Rabaul Volcano Observatory assistant director Ima Itikarai. "It was noiseless and in the dark just before dawn; the eruption was visible (with) a distinct shard (of) red incandescent glow shooting up less than 100 metres from the base," he told AFP.

As light dawned, billowing clouds of grey ash could be seen rising several hundred metres into the sky, he said, while local Chris Lagisa said residents could hear the noise of gushing gas and flowing lava. Ulamona Volcano Observatory staffer Herman Volele said ash falls could affect Kimbe, the nearby capital of West New Britain province, while regular earthquakes were also occurring in the vicinity of the volcano. While most people affected by the previous eruption had remained at evacuation centres, an official with the West New Britain Disaster Office said a number who had returned to tend to their homes and gardens at the base of the volcano had to be evacuated again. The volcano is one of the world's most hazardous, featuring on a list of 16 "Decade Volcanoes" targeted for research because they pose a significant risk of large, violent eruptions.

Papua New Guinea health officials have been dispatched to the Eastern Highlands after dozens of people reportedly died in a disease outbreak. The provincial governor, Peter Numu, told local media 35 people at the local hospital died from curable diseases. He said 11 died over the weekend [27-28 Jul 2019], although he didn't specify when the others died.

PNG's Health Minister, Elias Kapavore, said health department officials alongside the World Health Organisation will arrive in Goroka town today [1 Aug 2019]. "I think it is to do with the lack of infection control monitoring and prevention in the hospital that has led to this particular unfortunate scenario that has affected the lives of many of our people there." Mr Kapavore, who said he would fly to Goroka to look at the situation, noted that media reports linked the deaths to _Klebsiella_, a rare disease often caused by poor infection control.

But according to him, the National Emergency Operations Centre hadn't received a formal report by the hospital or Provincial Health Authority regarding a disease outbreak. However the minister said the situation warranted investigation.

======================

[_Klebsiella pneumoniae_ is an enteric Gram-negative bacillus that has been known to cause hospital-acquired infections and infections in debilitated or immunocompromised patients. However, a distinctive syndrome caused by _K. pneumoniae_ was first seen in Taiwanese patients in the 1980's (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7613255>). Cases have since been reported worldwide.

The syndrome is characterized by life-threatening community-acquired _K. pneumoniae_ infection in relatively healthy hosts that includes liver abscess and bacteremia complicated by the ability of the responsible _K. pneumoniae_ to spread hematogenously to the lungs, brain, meninges, eyes, prostate, bones, joints, and psoas (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732457/>).

Approximately half of the reported patients had diabetes mellitus, with the remainder displaying no apparent underlying diseases. The _K. pneumoniae_ strains were susceptible to many antibiotics, but mortality rates were as high as 10% for liver abscess and 30-40% for those with metastatic meningitis.

Colonies of the strains causing this illness were noted to be unusually mucoviscous with a positive "string test," defined as the formation of a mucoviscous string of over 5 mm in length when using a bacteriology inoculation loop to touch and stretch a colony grown overnight on an blood agar plate at 35 C [95 F] (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4685062/>). The strains were called hypervirulent _K. pneumoniae_ or hvKP, and their capsular polysaccharide serotypes were found to be either K1 or K2. Whole genome sequencing indicated that the hypervirulent K1 isolates belonged to clonal complex 23 (CC23) that grouped into a distinct monophyletic clade, with global spread by multiple international transmissions (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26199326>). The hvKP carried siderophores, which confer the ability to more efficiently acquire iron in iron poor environments. A large virulence plasmid, which encodes the siderophores and a regulator of the mucoid phenotype, was detected in all hvKP clonal lineages (<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26199326>). The latest development was the acquisition of the virulence plasmid by multidrug resistant hospital-associated ST11 _K. pneumoniae_.

_Klebsiella_ have been known to develop multiple antimicrobial drug resistance, commonly due to production of beta-lactamases that destroy the class of beta-lactam antibiotics known as carbapenems, as well as all other beta-lactam antibiotics. These carbapenemases are referred to as KPCs, that is, _K. pneumoniae_ carbapenemases. Some multidrug resistant strains have also been found to produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). The genes that encode KPCs and ESBLs are plasmid-mediated, which readily facilitates horizontal gene transfer between bacteria. The genes that encode these beta-lactamases are often linked to genes that encode resistance to multiple other classes of antibiotics. The principal reservoir for these organisms is the gastrointestinal tract, and spread occurs from there on the contaminated hands of healthcare workers and environment.

More information on this fatal outbreak would be appreciated from knowledgeable sources.

The eastern part of the island of New Guinea forms the mainland of Papua New Guinea, which has been an independent country since 1975. The outbreak is said to be occurring in the Eastern Highlands. Goroka, with a population of about 19 000 residents, is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goroka>). A map showing the location of Goroka can be found at <https://goo.gl/maps/f1PxnS7c9vCogDtw8>. - ProMED Mod.ML]

Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, June 27, 2019 (AFP) - An erupting volcano in Papua New Guinea that has blanketed a town in ash has forced around 5,000 people from their homes, officials said Thursday. Mount Ulawun -- one of the world's most hazardous volcanoes -- began spewing lava and smoke high into the air on Wednesday. Chris Lagisa, a community elder, said people had gathered at a church hall to flee on lorries, trucks and 4x4s, clutching sacks filled with belongings. In the nearby provincial capital of Kimbe, grey ash that had been shot more than 13 kilometres (8 miles) into the air, turning day to night, began to fall on cars and homes. People downwind from the volcano were advised to take precautions to avoid the ashfall, which can cause respiratory ailments, eye irritation and skin problems. Images of the volcano early Thursday appeared to show the ash flow easing. "Parts of (the) erupting column collapsed, sending block and ash flows down the flanks," said Rabaul Volcano Observatory chief geodetic surveyor Steve Saunders. Initial reports from the provincial disaster committee indicate lava flows had cut through the main coastal road.

Ulawun, on the remote Bismarck Archipelago chain, is listed as one of 16 "Decade Volcanoes" targeted for research because they pose a significant risk of large, violent eruptions. Saunders said they will be deploying staff today to Ulamona to assess the situation as the eruption continues. "We are monitoring instrumentally from Rabaul Volcano Observatory and have access to satellite data," he said. "However due to the continuing eruption (and) the potential for unexpected resurgence, it is recommended that the alert be raised to Stage 2," Saunders said. National airline Air Niugini cancelled all flights into Hoskins Airport in Kimbe for an indefinite period, and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre issued a "red" warning to international airlines. Thousands of people live in the shadow of Ulawun, despite its being one of the most active volcanoes in the country.

World Travel News Headlines

Nicosia, June 6, 2020 (AFP) - Cyprus opens back up for international tourism on Tuesday, with airports welcoming visitors after an almost three-month shutdown, and a bold plan to cover health care costs for visitors. But with arrivals expected to be down by 70 percent this year due to the chaos brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a leap of faith for the small Mediterranean holiday island. "Nobody here is expecting to make any money this year", Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios told AFP. "We are setting the stage for the beginning of our recovery in 2021."

The divided island's tourism sector normally accounts for around 15 percent of GDP but has dried up in past months amid global measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Cyprus saw a record 3.97 million arrivals in 2019, with more than half its market made up of British and Russian visitors. But even if the island's airports in Larnaca and Paphos will open up to arrivals on Tuesday with the first flight due to arrive from Athens around midday (0900GMT), neither Britain or Russia are among the 19 countries allowed to land there.

The list of permitted countries, which also include Bulgaria, Germany and Malta, have been chosen based on epidemiological data and split into two categories. Initially all travellers will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within 72 hours of travel, but from June 20, only those arriving from six countries in the second category, such as Poland and Romania, will need to do so. The government says the lists will be revised weekly and more countries can be added.

Cyprus will also cover accommodation, dining and medical care for any tourists who fall ill with the COVID-19 illness during their stay, as well as accommodation and meals for their families and close contacts. "What we offer and what we sell is not the sun and the sea, it's hospitality, and this is an extension of our hospitality," Perdios said. The government has designated a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital for tourists that Perdios said would be located in the Larnaca region, while 112 ICU units have been allocated for visitors. Perdios said several four-star hotels would provide 500 quarantine rooms for close contacts of those who fall ill.

- 'Right thing to do' -A raft of other health measures, including disinfection protocols and temperature checks at border controls, aim to protect travellers and locals alike. "We've gone to big lengths to think ahead of things that could go wrong and try to devise plan Bs and Cs", Perdios said. The Republic of Cyprus, in the south of the island, has registered 960 novel coronavirus cases and 17 deaths. Perdios expressed hope that British tourists could be welcomed "sometime after mid-July", with Russia "slightly later, maybe by a couple of weeks".

A recently announced deal with Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air to open a base in Cyprus from July was also an important step towards expanding and diversifying the island's tourist markets, he said. While no date has been set to allow international tourists to visit the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, only recognised by Ankara, the health care commitment would still apply to those visiting the north during their stay once the crossings are reopened. "I am very confident that not only will we be able to continue providing our citizens with protection, but also caring for everybody who comes to the island on holiday", he said. "If we are coming out with a scheme like this, it's because we can afford it, but most importantly, because we feel that it's the right thing to do."

Orlando, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Tourists donned masks Friday and visited the attractions at Universal Orlando, the first of the major theme parks in Florida to open since the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down almost three months ago. Universal Orlando resort and the other theme parks in this central Florida city closed on March 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. New back-to-fun rules at the park include temperature controls at the entrance, mandatory use of face masks, markers on the ground to help enforce social distancing and posters thanking the public for their help "during this unprecedented time."

Universal Orlando is only reopening at 35 percent capacity and has launched a system of virtual lines in which space can be reserved, to avoid queues and crowds. Terrence Wilson, 19, was happy with the result. "There's not a lot of people. I can get on all the rides without having to wait 40 minutes or an hour" he told the Orlando Sentinel.

On Monday, the Legoland Florida park opened in the city of Winter Haven, while SeaWorld in Orlando is scheduled to open on June 10. The largest of Orlando's parks, Walt Disney World, will open on July 11. That day the park's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom sections will begin operating, while EPCOT and Hollywood Studios will follow suit on July 15. Orlando is home to most of the state's theme parks and every year welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world.

Riyadh, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia on Friday announced a renewed lockdown in the city of Jeddah, gateway to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, to counter a new spike in coronavirus cases. "After reviewing the epidemiological situation and the high occupancy rates of intensive care departments, it was decided to take strict health precautions in the city of Jeddah for two weeks," starting from Saturday, the health ministry said. The measures include a curfew running from 3 pm to 6 am, a suspension of prayers in mosques and a stay-at-home order for public and private sector workers in the Red Sea city whose airport serves Mecca pilgrims.

After an easing of precautions in the kingdom in late May, the ministry said that strict measures could also soon return to Riyadh, which was "witnessing a continuous increase during the last days" of critical cases of the pandemic. Saudi Arabia has declared almost 96,000 coronavirus infections and 642 deaths from the Covid-19 respiratory disease, the heaviest toll in the Gulf. It has suspended the year-round "umrah" pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina over fears of the coronavirus pandemic spreading to Islam's holiest cities.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's hajj, scheduled for the end of July, but have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. Last year, some 2.5 million faithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to take part in the hajj, which all Muslims must perform at least once in their lives if able.

Dublin, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Ireland will dramatically accelerate its plan to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the coming days, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday. "Today I can confirm that it is safe to move to phase two of the plan to reopen our country starting on Monday," Varadkar told a press conference. "I'm also announcing an acceleration of the roadmap." More workplaces will open and household visits will be permitted from Monday in line with the government plan to reopen the Republic announced in May.

However an escalation of the scheme will see citizens allowed to travel across their county of residence and/or up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) from home. All shops will also be permitted to reopen whilst the final stage of the "roadmap" to end lockdown -- in place since 28 March -- will be brought forward from August to July. Playgrounds will reopen while the government now intends to allow hotels, restaurants and bars serving food to resume trade on June 29. "We are making progress, we are heading in the right direction, and we have earned the right to be hopeful about the future again," Varadkar said. Ireland has suffered 1,664 deaths from the coronavirus, according to official figures. Recorded deaths peaked at 77 in a single day in April, but by Thursday that figure had fallen to just five.

The Republic last Monday registered its first day without any COVID-19 deaths in more than two months, one week after entering the first phase of its plan to leave lockdown. "We've proved we can suppress the virus, but now we do face another test," said health minister Simon Harris. "We must prove we can live alongside it and keep it weak at the same time."

The easing includes provisions for shops to hold staggered opening hours and social distancing measures to remain in place. "We must remain careful, cautious vigilant, and together," Harris added. Finance minister Paschal Donohoe announced Friday that a government wage subsidy scheme enacted when the nation entered lockdown will be extended until the end of August. To date, 1.37 billion ($1.55 billion) euros has been paid to half a million employees. But he warned "this support cannot last forever" and he expected to see a continued decline in reliance on the scheme.

Quito, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - As much of Ecuador went into lockdown against the coronavirus, scientists shipped out of the Galapagos, leaving important research activity frozen and the Pacific archipelago's tourism in deep crisis. Authorities are desperately hoping for a revival of the vital tourism industry -- the main engine of the local economy -- once visitors are allowed to fly in again from July 1.

In the meantime, local officials say they have to take a leaf out of English naturalist Charles Darwin's book and "adapt to survive." Darwin based his theory of evolution on his studies of the islands' unique flora and fauna. But dozens of researchers following in his footsteps had to leave before air links were shut down as the pandemic advanced. "Science has to a large extent been paralyzed these days in the Galapagos," Diego Quiroga of Quito's San Francisco University told AFP.

Sixteen researchers of various nationalities from the university's Galapagos Science Center were repatriated along with 50 US students when Ecuador shut its borders, suspended flights and imposed strict restrictions on movement in mid-March. The move meant that the Galapagos was largely spared the devastating impact of the virus felt on the mainland. Ecuador, a country of 17 million, has more than 40,000 infections with 3,500 deaths. The Galapagos is the least affected of its provinces, with fewer than 80 infections among its 30,000 population.

- Research suspended -The 76 projects being carried out under the Center's auspices remain in limbo, and an international congress set to draw 200 scientists to the archipelago was canceled. The Charles Darwin Foundation, which has been operating on the islands for 60 years, had to shelve 20 research programs.

Around 30 of its scientists and volunteers who were carrying out field work "had to abandon their investigation sites," said Maria Jose Barragan, the foundation's CEO and science director. With them went "an important season of investigation into the reproductive cycle of birds" in the Galapagos, she said. The Galapagos National Park (PNG), a public body responsible for conservation of the archipelago, continues to operate.

- Adapting to less -The Charles Darwin Foundation fears, however, the long-term impact of the pandemic on future research. "I think the global picture for the conservation sector, regarding acquisition and availability of funds, will change becaus there will likely

be other interests" competing for funds, said Barragan. "We have to adapt, which is actually the principle of the theory of evolution: change and adapt," she said.

Galapagos Science Center head Carlos Mena says he does not believe "funding for science is decreasing, but yes, it will move to other sectors, such as economic rejuvenation or the study of diseases and viruses." As things stand, any freeze in research projects affects livelihoods on the archipelago. Mena says this will translate into almost a million dollars in lost revenue for 2020. "Science brings in revenue. It's not huge, not like tourism, but yes, it generates revenue."

In the months of lockdown, between March and May, the Galapagos -- which had more than 270,000 visitors last year -- lost $200 million in tourism revenue, according to the Provincial Chamber of Tourism. "The revenue is zero. There have been no tourists, therefore no admissions to the park, nor the economic revenue" they generate, said park director Andres Ordonez.

Mena believes tourism will come back stronger after the coronavirus, saying the work of researchers can "serve as a guide for better tourism" in the islands with their fragile ecosystems. "The Galapagos have always been considered as a laboratory for studying the evolution of species," he said. "We can also see them as a laboratory for building tourism or a better model of society than before the pandemic."

Rio de Janeiro, June 5, 2020 (AFP) - Brazil's death toll from the novel coronavirus has surged to become the third-highest in the world, surpassing Italy's, according to official figures released Thursday. The South American country of 210 million people reported a new record of 1,473 deaths in 24 hours, bringing its overall toll to 34,021, from 614,941 infections, the health ministry said. Italy has confirmed 33,689 deaths from 234,013 infections.

Johannesburg, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - South Africa said Thursday it had recorded 3,267 novel coronavirus cases in 24 hours, the biggest jump since the pandemic hit the country. Africa's biggest industrial power now has a total of 40,792 infections, the health ministry said. It saw a rise of 56 deaths for a total of 848 fatalities. More than half of the cases are in the Western Cape region where health services are under pressure.

South Africa is the sub-Saharan African country hardest hit by the pandemic. President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 27 ordered South Africans to observe a lockdown aimed at slowing the disease's spread. The move sharply limited people's freedom of movement while slowing an economy already in recession. But Ramaphosa has gradually eased the lockdown measures and allowed most of the economy to restart.

Masks to be compulsory on public transport in England (from the 15th June!)
Disease SARS United Kingdom
- 23 hours ago

Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2020 18:41:36 +0200 (METDST)

London, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - Masks will be compulsory on public transport in England from next week to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, transport minister Grant Shapps said Thursday. "As of 15th June, face coverings will be mandatory on public transport," he said at a daily briefing on the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak. The government had previously advised people to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport but stopped short of making them compulsory. They remain only a recommendation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whose devolved administrations have responsibility for transport.

The announcement was made as part of plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England, as infection rates and the number of deaths from COVID-19 falls. A total of 39,904 people have died in the outbreak in Britain, according to the latest official figures, which is the second-highest toll in the world after the United States. "We need to ensure every precaution is taken on buses, trains, aircraft and on ferries," said Shapps, calling the use of face coverings a "condition of travel". Small children, the disabled and anyone with breathing difficulties would be exempt, he added. "We expect the vast majority won't need to be forced into this," he said, but warned that anyone refusing to do so could be prevented from travelling or even fined.

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, June 4, 2020 (AFP) - Rohingya refugees infected with coronavirus are fleeing quarantine in their Bangladesh camps because they fear being transferred to an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal, community leaders said Thursday. At least two infected refugees have gone missing since testing positive for the virus after the first COVID-19 death was reported Tuesday, they said.

About one million Rohingya -- most of whom fled a military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 -- are packed into camps along the Bangladesh border, and the coronavirus has become the latest cause of misery. Aid agencies have long warned that the virus could cause chaos in the overcrowded camps, where social distancing is virtually impossible. So far only 29 infections have been detected, although 16,000 Rohingya are in quarantine zones within the camps.

It was not immediately clear how many tests have been conducted in the camps, but a senior health official said two people who proved positive had "fled the isolation hospital". He added that only 20 refugees agreed to be tested in the past two days because they believe those infected will be sent to Bhashan Char island in the Bay of Bengal. "It has created mass panic," Nurul Islam, a community leader, told AFP.

Bangladesh authorities have long wanted to establish a camp for 100,000 people on the isolated island, and have already sent 306 Rohingya there. "The Rohingya are petrified," the health official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We have told them they won't be sent anywhere."

Some 500 isolation beds have been prepared in the camps, but most are empty because so few confirmed cases have been found, according to the official. The first Rohingya fatality from the coronavirus was announced only Tuesday, and health officials say they desperately need to increase testing to see how widespread the virus may be. But Khalilur Rahman Khan, the government administrator of one camp block, said doctors told him refugees were reluctant to participate.

Several Rohingya leaders said the transfer of the 306 refugees to Bhashan Char had sparked rumours that anyone with coronavirus would be sent to join them. "People are scared to go for virus tests," said Abu Zaman, a community leader. Mohammad Shafi, a camp neighbour of the refugee whose death was announced Tuesday, said people who had coronavirus symptoms such as fever and aches insisted they only had seasonal flu. "I tried to reassure them that this a curable disease and most people will recover, but many don't believe it," he said.

Santiago, June 3, 2020 (AFP) - Chile's government said Wednesday it was prolonging a three-week shutdown of the country's capital Santiago as the COVID-19 death toll reached a new daily record. Health officials said 87 people had died in the previous 24 hours, and nearly 5,000 new infections were recorded. The South American copper-exporting nation has now registered more than 113,000 infections and 1,275 deaths.

Health Minister Jaime Manalich confirmed the government was extending a three-week lockdown of the capital for another week. The city is home to seven million of the country's 18 million population and produces half its GDP. Manalich said the population's mobility had only been reduced by 30 percent, because of a large numbers of permits granted to those needed for essential activities. "There are many permits," the minister said, warning that "for the quarantine to be effective, mobility needs to be reduced by at least 50 percent."

The minister appealed to people to minimize time spent outside of their homes to help reduce infections, especially in the coming weeks when emergency health services are expected to be operating at maximum capacity. Already in Santiago, 97 percent of intensive care unit beds are occupied, while units in the rest of Chile report having reached 88 percent capacity.